A Little Dramatic Irony
by Lipton Lee
Summary: Jess hopped in his car and left Rory in the dust in Star’s Hollow, yet again. But we can’t let it end there, can we? Literati postNag Hammadi
1. In Love and Wreckage

Disclaimer: NOT MINE! The characters belong to someone else and no money is being made! Don't hurt me!   
  
Summary: Jess hopped in his car and left Rory in the dust in Star's Hollow, yet again. But we can't let it end there, can we? Literati post-Nag Hammadi  
  
Spoilers: Nag Hammadi and everything before is fair game.  
  
Rating: PG-13 for some mild language.   
  
Notes: Be kind. This is my first Gilmore Girls fic, so if the characterization is a bit rough, please bear with me.   
  
A Little Dramatic Irony   
  
She decided to drive back to school that night. She hated to leave before the weekend was over, knowing that her mother would be able to help her through this, but she couldn't be in Star's Hollow just then. Too many memories. Too many thoughts.   
  
Too much… Jess.   
  
He loved her.  
  
He loved her?  
  
Over a year ago, he'd up and left town without even telling her and now…  
  
"Rational thought," she told herself as she navigated the empty highway. "Rational thought is good… like coffee… books…"  
  
Books.  
  
Dickens.   
  
Dodger.   
  
Jess.  
  
She sighed in frustration. "Dammit, Mariano."   
  
Bright lights flashed ahead of her, making her squint, and as she passed them, she slowed to survey the scene.   
  
A couple of police cars and an ambulance were gathered around the crumpled, eerie remains of a tan car. She leaned over to get a better look, and it hit her like a fist to the gut.  
  
Jess' car.   
  
"Oh, god."   
  
She parked on the side of the road and got out to run over to the police.   
  
"Where is he?" she asked them frantically, looking around at the mess. There was broken glass everywhere, and the driver's side door was hanging off of its hinges.   
  
"Where's who?" one of the paramedics asked. "Whoever crashed this thing is long gone."   
  
"Oh, god," she said to herself again. "Where is he?" She looked around them and spotted a trail of blood that led to the open field on the side of the highway. "He's not serious." She hopped over the guard rail and began to run through the field to the shocked protests of the authorities.   
  
It wasn't long before she caught to him. "Jess?!"  
  
He turned to her, almost falling over. His right leg was mangled and bleeding, causing him to limp. A deep, dripping gash adorned his forehead, and his shoulder looked slightly out of place. His lip and nose were bleeding and he was holding his left wrist with his right hand, which was dripping crimson all over him. "Rory?" he said in a quiet, raspy voice. Even in the dark, she could see that his eyes were dazed,   
  
"Oh, my god, Jess, what happened?!" She rushed to his side and put an arm gently around him. He nearly collapsed against her.  
  
"I messed up," he uttered.   
  
"No kidding," Rory replied. She turned back toward the road, half carrying him to the flashing lights ahead.   
  
"Aw, god," Jess cracked, staring at the flashing ambulance lights. "M' I dyin?"   
  
"No," Rory snapped, more shaken than before. "No, no, no, you're gonna be just fine. We just gotta get you over to the nice paramedics that are waiting for you. And the happy, happy ambulance."   
  
"Rory?"   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Love you, Rory." He rested more of his weight on her, causing her to stop.   
  
"Jess… you have to help me out here, okay? You're very well put together and I think whoever made you used cement to keep your pieces all in place. You're really heavy."   
  
He didn't answer her.   
  
"Jess?"   
  
Still no answer. He wasn't moving.   
  
"Oh, god. HELP!"  
  
*****   
  
She road in the ambulance with him, and he didn't wake up. He didn't wake up by the time they arrived in the emergency room of St. James'.   
  
She stood on the sidelines in the operating room he'd been taken into, and after a few moments, was led out by one of the nurses.   
  
She sat in one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs and cried.   
  
*****   
  
The phone rang at Lorelei Gilmore's house at around one in the morning. She knocked a few items off of her nightstand before finally succeeding in grabbing the phone. "Hello?" she slurred out sleepily.   
  
"M-mom?"   
  
She squinted and sat up. "Rory?"   
  
"Mom."   
  
"Rory, wha's wrong? It's so late."   
  
"Mom, I'm at St. James'."   
  
The wake-up call every mother dreaded. "What?"   
  
"I w-was driving," Rory sniffed. "And I passed this accident, and Jess' car was totaled, but he wasn't there, and I found him and-"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, honey, slow down," Lorelei said. "Jess was in an accident?"   
  
"Yeah," Rory said, trying not to cry. "He's in real bad shape."   
  
"Oh, Rory…"   
  
"And he loves me."   
  
"Rory…"   
  
"Can you be here?"   
  
"Lemme round up the troops and we'll be there in a jiffy."   
  
"Okay, Mom. I love you."   
  
"Love you, too. Sit tight." She hung up and dialed another number. "Luke? Yeah, yeah I know its 1:03 in the morning. Rory just called from the hospital… I don't know, she said Jess was in an accident, and he's really hurt and he loves Rory… Stop yelling! Okay, okay, I'll be ready. What about Liz, is she still in town?" She nodded. "Okay." She hung up and dragged herself out of bed to get dressed and wait for Luke to pick her up.   
  
*****   
  
Luke was going the fastest, with Liz and Lorelei close behind. He spotted Rory sitting in the waiting room, staring off. There was blood on her hands and coat, and she'd obviously been crying.   
  
"Rory!" Lorelei cried, rushing past Luke to get to her daughter. She knelt in front of her. "Oh, my god, are you alright? Are you bleeding?"   
  
She shook her head no.   
  
"Any word on Jess?" Liz asked, wringing her hands worriedly.   
  
Again, Rory shook her head.   
  
"I'm gonna go find a Doctor, see what's going on," Luke said. He walked off and Lorelei and Liz sat on either side of Rory.  
  
"You wanna tell me what happened?" Lorelei asked.   
  
"He finally talked to me," Rory said dazedly. "Right before he left. He said he loved me, and then he was gone."   
  
"Oh, Honey," Lorelei said, putting an arm around the girl.   
  
"So I was driving back to school," Rory went on. "And I saw his car, and it was… I was so scared that…"   
  
Her mother nodded.   
  
Rory retold the rest of what had happened, including Jess' repetition of the words "I love you."   
  
  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "That kid…"   
  
"Hey," Liz said. "What's wrong with my kid?"   
  
"Huh. Let's see," Lorelei replied. "Rude, moody, mean, irresponsible, heartless-"   
  
"Mom," Rory interrupted her. "I… I love him, too."   
  
Lorelei stared at her in shock. "Rory, you're just saying that because he's hurt, and you're scared."   
  
"I wouldn't be so scared if I didn't love him," Rory reasoned.   
  
"You said you were over him."   
  
"I thought I was."   
  
  
  
"Rory…"   
  
"Are you mad?"   
  
"No," Lorelei replied. "Of course not. But… he left you, and he lied and got you hurt…"   
  
"Jess is a mess," Liz cut in. "It's… partially my fault. The point is that he doesn't know how to handle this stuff."   
  
"Obviously," Lorelei muttered.   
  
"Rory, when he started calling me, you're practically all he talked about," Liz told the girl. "How smart you are, how much he thought I would like you, how much he cares about you. He missed you. He just didn't know how to say so."   
  
"You're Liz, right? Jess' mom?" Rory asked.   
  
Liz nodded, and held out a hand. "Nice to finally meet you."   
  
Rory shook the older woman's hand. "Hi."   
  
Lorelei looked over her daughter. "You're sure about Jess?"   
  
Rory nodded.   
  
"He hurts you again, and I'll break his legs off."   
  
A few minutes later, Luke slowly walked back to them and the three girls looked up at him.   
  
He knelt down in front of them, and took Liz's hand.   
  
Liz pursed her lips. "It's not good, is it?"   
  
Luke shook his head. "No. It's not."   
  
*****   
  
A coma.   
  
A big, fat, stupid coma.   
  
Rory watched Jess sleep.   
  
All of his wounds had been treated and carefully bandaged. His leg was in a big cast, which all of his visitors had signed already. Luke and Rory's mother had simply scribbled their names, while Rory had written a giant "I LOVE YOU!" along with her name, and Liz had written a long message of apologies love to him. Rory hadn't read that. It wasn't for her. It was for Jess, when he woke up.   
  
If he woke up.   
  
"You have to wake up," she told his slumbering form. "This is dramatic irony. You hate dramatic irony." She sniffed a little and took his bandaged hand. "Just do me a favor and wake up, okay?"   
  
TBC 


	2. The Stupid Kid in the Coma

It amazed Rory to no end the three-hundred-sixty degree turn the people of Star's Hollow had made that weekend. Word had always spread fast, but none faster than the news of Jess' accident and subsequent coma.   
  
Police had reported to Luke and Liz that they'd found a drunk driver behind the wheel of a banged up SUV heading in the opposite direction than Jess had been traveling. This information provided a shred of relief to the inhabitants of Luke's Diner that Sunday morning.   
  
"Thank you, Officer," Luke said before hanging up the phone.   
  
"At least we know he wasn't being a stupid kid," Liz offered half-heartedly. She looked tired. They hadn't made it back to town until four in the morning.   
  
"He's always a stupid kid," Luke commented, rubbing his face with his hands. "He was probably driving way too fast."  
  
"Why does it have to be his fault?"   
  
"He probably wasn't paying attention."   
  
"Luke-"   
  
"Stupid kid."   
  
Rory didn't register their banter. She had yet to touch her coffee. She sat at the counter, staring at her mug.   
  
"A Gilmore that hasn't touched a single drop of coffee. I think we're seeing the first stage of Armageddon."   
  
She turned to Ms. Patty who had taken the seat next to her. "Hi."   
  
"How are you holding up?"   
  
Rory shrugged and went back to staring at her coffee.  
  
"That boy is a pain in the rear end, Rory," Patty told her gently. "And pains like him don't just go away. He'll be fine."   
  
She nodded vaguely still staring intently at her mug.   
  
Lorelei watched her daughter worriedly. "Luke, I'm gonna take her home. She needs sleep."   
  
Luke sighed. "We all do. I'll call you guys if we hear anything… Liz is upstairs now, calling TJ." He made a slightly disgusted face.   
  
Lorelei sighed. "I'll talk to you later."   
  
Luke nodded as he watched Lorelei guide Rory out of the diner.   
  
*****  
  
"That's terrible," Emily Gilmore gasped. "Does Rory know?"   
  
"She's the one who found him," Lorelei told her mother over the phone, as she bustled about the kitchen, making tea for herself and Rory. "It feels like… every disparaging thing I ever said about Jess is coming back to beat me over the head. I feel so bad."  
  
"Well, he deserved those comments at the time, did he not?" Emily asked.   
  
"Well… yeah… he was a complete nightmare."   
  
"And Rory loves him?"   
  
  
  
Lorelei sighed. "That's what she says. And she says that's what he said to her…"   
  
"You obviously don't approve," Emily commented.   
  
"That doesn't matter."   
  
"Of course it does," Emily replied. "You're her mother."  
  
Lorelei sighed as she put the kettle on the stove. "Mom, it… If she feels that strongly for the guy, I'm not standing in the way."   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"Because, she'd hate me," Lorelei replied. "And the kid is in a coma. If I bring that up to Rory now… I hate seeing her like this. She's so sad."   
  
"Give her time, Lorelei," Emily soothed. "Just let her alone for a little."   
  
"I don't know if time will help this. I think the only thing that will is if Jess Mariano walks through the front door and lights one of those nasty cigarettes and says something snide and witty."   
  
Emily paused for a moment. "He smokes?"   
  
"Not the point, Mom."   
  
*****   
  
"So… A coma? A real honest-to-god, Soap-Net style coma?"   
  
Rory nodded as she spoke to Lane on the phone. Her friend was still at Yale. "Yeah."   
  
"Wow."   
  
"I just…" Rory got up and paced her bedroom a little. "I think he's just doing this to get a rise out of me. I keep expecting him to show up at my door all James Dean and go and say 'I can't believe you fell for that,' or something…"  
  
"What would you do if that happened?" Lane asked.   
  
Rory couldn't help herself and laughed. "Put him in a coma."  
  
Lane laughed with her for a couple of minutes, but soon they both grew quiet.   
  
"He's gonna be okay, Rory," Lane told her. "Who knows, maybe he'll be pleasant when he wakes up."   
  
"Jess? Pleasant?" Rory asked, laughing a little again.   
  
"Good point."   
  
"Lane?"   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Thanks."   
  
She could hear Lane smile over the phone.   
  
*****   
  
"Hey, big guy."   
  
Liz sat down at her son's bedside, holding a small, black teddy bear. She gripped it in her hands as she watched him sleep. He looked more at peace than she could ever remember him being.   
  
It had been a week since the accident. She came to visit as often as she could bring herself to. She felt guilty for not only distancing herself from her son now, but in the past few years. Rory had spent all the free time she had between classes and homework with Jess. Talking to him, reading him all his favorite books.   
  
Jess wasn't kidding when he'd told Liz that Rory was strong.   
  
"I brought you Hephaestus…" She held up the bear a little, as if to show him. "I know you're too old for stuffed animals, but… I don't know… I still keep him with me, and I just thought maybe you'd…" she sighed. "I know we haven't been very close… I just… Aw, hell, Jess. Don't do this to us, okay? I know I'm not a good mother. I know Luke is… Luke. I know you don't like TJ, and I know you could never get close to your dad, but… even though you can be a rotten, bitter little snot, you're wanted… I want you. You're my kid."  
  
The door behind her opened gently and Liz turned to see Rory holding a hefty, hard-backed book. When she saw Liz, she looked surprised.   
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."   
  
"No, it's alright, Rory, come on in," Liz smiled.   
  
"Are you sure? Cause I could-"  
  
"Sit."   
  
She smiled and pulled up a chair on the other side of Jess's bed.  
  
"I was just telling Jess that I brought Hephaestus."   
  
Rory looked confused until Liz held up the small stuffed bear. "That's Jess's?"   
  
Liz nodded. "I put it in the cradle with him when he was a baby. His name was Mr. Bear, but he got renamed when Jess started reading mythology." She sighed. "He always loved to read."   
  
Rory smiled a little. "Was he always so…?"   
  
"Angry?" Liz offered. "He got that way as he grew up… I stopped being around so much… started dating again. He never had many friends… the ones he had... never 'em, but they always got him into trouble. Or the other way around."   
  
Rory nodded, leaning forward a little.   
  
The blond looked sad "He got worse when I shipped him to you guys… He started thinking nobody wanted him."   
  
Rory gazed down at Jess. "I did. Still do."   
  
Liz nodded, staring at young woman. "I think he wanted you, too, but it's scary for him. His dad left, I sent him off. Luke sent him back, and I shipped him right back Luke."   
  
"Why did he follow his dad?" Rory asked softly, looking at the other woman.   
  
Liz shrugged. "Curiosity, maybe? Hard to tell why he does anything."   
  
Rory nodded, again, turning her attention back to Jess.   
  
Liz sighed and got to her feet. "I promised TJ he and I would go to dinner," she said. "So I'll let you guys have some alone time." She placed the stuffed animal in the corner of the bed near his pillow. "See you soon, Honey." She kissed Jess's forehead, smiled at Rory and walked out.   
  
Rory watched her go, and then opened her book to read aloud. 


	3. Good Morning, Sunshine

He'd never been very good at waking up, but after two weeks of oblivion, it was damn near impossible.   
  
He felt like crap. Complete, utter, undeniable crap.   
  
Stiff, sore, dizzy. Something stung in his left hand as he tried to move it. His head was killing him.   
  
He opened his eyes and was face to face with a little black bear.   
  
"'H'phaestus?" The name came out scratchy and almost none-existent. He tried to sit up, but his stomach lurched. Even so, he struggled to an upright position, and looked around the dim room. He pulled off his blanket and found his leg in a bulky, white cast, which had been doodled on in multi-colored sharpie pens.   
  
  
  
He squinted to read the different styles of handwriting, and made out the names "Luke" and "Lorelei." A large message had been printed on another part of it, but all he could see were the words "Love, Mom." In giant, loopy handwriting on the side of the cast were the words "I LOVE YOU! -Rory."   
  
Rory.   
  
She was all he could remember from right before the accident… and a couple of passages from 'Oliver Twist' that were stuck in his head for no particular reason, but that didn't matter much.   
  
He slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed, hissing in pain. He ached all over. His head spun, but he had to get up, for no other reason than he knew he probably wasn't supposed to.   
  
How long had he been asleep? What happened to his car? Where in god's green earth was he?   
  
He hoisted himself to his feet, and almost immediately fell over, but he grabbed the wall, and sighed, cursing in his horse voice. He began to hobble towards the door.  
  
"God, I need a cigarette."   
  
*****   
  
She carried her old copy of Oliver Twist in both hands, looking numbly around the dull hospital. Everything looked, and smelled clean. The windows in the waiting room she passed let in very little light, as they were all in the shadow of the huge establishment. Voices muttered from the rooms she passed, none of the inhabitants or their visitors noticed her as she walked.   
  
As she came closer to her destination, she heard something she didn't expect.   
  
"Get off of me, lady!"   
  
She stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't hear what the nurse was saying, but the young man's voice rang out loud and clear. Her heart pounded with his every word.   
  
"I don't care! What part of 'get off of me' don't you understand?!"   
  
She finally started walking again, but it quickly turned into a run. She rounded the corner and stopped again when she took in the scene.   
  
He was hobbling on his good leg, holding onto the doorframe of his room with both of his bandaged hands. The nurse, who was much smaller than her patient, was trying gently to take him by the shoulders and guide him back to his bed.  
  
"Jess, please," the nurse said.   
  
"I've been asleep for two weeks!" Jess yelled. "I'm not lying down anymore!"   
  
Rory just stared.   
  
Jess Mariano.   
  
Awake, and righteously angry. More fiery than ever.   
  
She'd never seen him so beautiful.   
  
She dropped her book.   
  
The thump it made on the gray carpeted floor got both Jess and the nurse's attention. They looked over at her.   
  
"Rory," he said softly. He tried to hobble to her, but lost his balance almost immediately.   
  
She rushed forward to him before he could hit the ground, and tried to catch him but he wound up taking her to the floor with him. He was half on top of her, but she didn't move. She only stared at him in shock.   
  
He stared up into her eyes, not sure what to say, not able to run from her as he had. Not only in body, but in mind as well. "Rory," he said again. He spotted the book on the floor. No wonder he'd had those god-damned passages stuck in his head!   
  
He looked back at her, and all she could do was stare in shock. No words. She looked as if she was barely breathing. Her skin was pale. He could feel her shaking underneath him, as he had her half-pinned to the floor. He couldn't really get up. He wasn't sure he wanted to.  
  
A million thoughts ran through her head. She should cry. She should hit him. She should yell, or quote Shakespeare. Something.   
  
But all she could do was kiss him. 


	4. The Jerk's Awake

A/N: I'm sorry if the formatting on this is wonky. Fanfic.net has been hating my guts.  
  
The phone at Luke's Diner rang and he picked it up on his way to bring an order to a table. He used his usual, almost-annoyed tone. "Luke's."  
  
When he heard the voice on the other end, he almost dropped the plates he was carrying. "Jess?!"  
  
The inhabitants of the diner looked up in shock.  
  
Lorelei walked over to the counter across from Luke, and stared intently.  
  
Luke nodded into the phone. "Yeah. You feelin..." He nodded again. "Yeah. Yeah!" He laughed a little. "Me, too, kid. Yeah, Lorelei's here." He turned to her. "Jess and Rory say hi."  
  
She smiled and nodded.  
  
"Oh, god, yes, we will," Luke said back to the phone laughing slightly. "Yeah, your mom is still in town. Any word on... give it time, you'll be outta there soon... Yeah! Yeah, I'll round up your mom and we'll be there as soon as we can. Yeah. No, don't worry about it. We'll be there soon. Yeah. Bye, Jess."  
  
"So?" Lorelei asked.  
  
Luke looked around at the inhabitants of the diner. "Everybody out! We're leaving!"  
  


* * *

  
"They're on their way," Jess informed Rory, clicking the cell phone off and handing it to her.  
  
She nodded. "We should talk," she said.  
  
"We should," he nodded back.  
  
"I love you."  
  
He stared at her. "I... I love...love you, too," he said softly. "I should have told you I was leaving...nothing that was happening made sense. Nothing I did made sense."  
  
"Damn right, it didn't," she agreed. "Why couldn't you just tell me you were leaving?"  
  
"Because...I thought it would hurt you more," He confessed quietly.  
  
"That's so stupid."  
  
He nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"So...what now?" she asked. "After you get better, what are you going to do?"  
  
Jess shook his head. "I don't know."  
  
"What happened with your dad?" Rory asked.  
  
He shrugged. "Didn't work out."  
  
Rory sighed. "What do you want to do?"  
  
"Buy a shed and write fiction that confuses the masses, only to become famous in fifty years."  
  
"Jess."  
  
"I don't know," he told her. "I didn't know before all this happened."  
  
"Do you wanna go back to school?"  
  
"God, no."  
  
"Do you wanna live in Star's Hollow?"  
  
"Hell, no."  
  
Rory frowned. "Do you..." she faltered for a moment."Do you want to be with me?"  
  
He nodded, looking into her eye. "I do. Do you want to be with... with me?"  
  
She nodded. "I do. But I'm scared that you'll run out on me again."  
  
"I won't Rory. I won't do that to you again."  
  
"You promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
"Swear."  
  
He gave a brief nod. "I swear on Joe Strummer's grave."  
  
She nodded and just looked at him. Into those big, brown eyes. "I didn't know if you'd ever wake up."  
  
"You know me," he replied.  
  
"You scared me."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"This is gonna take work, you and I," she told him. "You owe me."  
  
He nodded. "Anything you want."  
  
"Anything? So if I wanted a pony..."  
"You'd have a pony, but I might get arrested."  
  
"Fair trade," she replied.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She smiled and leaned in and kissed him.  
  
He smiled as he responded.  
  
"Aw, god!" cried a new voice. "Lips!"  
  
Rory stopped kissing and whipped her head toward the door. She turned red as she gazed her mother, Luke, Liz and TJ. "Uh... hi... everybody..."  
Luke glared. "Who left you two alone?! You're not supposed to be alone!"  
  
Jess smirked. "Nice to see you, too, Uncle Luke. Glad you didn't worry." 


	5. A Penny For Your 3 AM thoughts

Her dorm room phone rang at three minutes to three in the morning, and she groaned as the sound pierced through her sleep. She turned toward her nightstand and fumbled for the phone before hitting the jackpot. "H'llo?"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
That woke her up. His voice. His voice like she'd never heard it before. Weak, slightly trembling. Scared?  
  
"Jess?" she asked, sitting up. "What's wrong?"  
  
He hesitated for a moment. "I just..." his breath shook. "I needed to call you."  
  
"Where are you?" she asked, remembering there was no phone in his hospital room.  
  
"The front desk," he told her. "They're clearing out for the night. Not paying attention. How's school?"  
  
"That's not the reason you called."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Why are you calling, Jess?"  
  
"I need a reason?" He sounded offended. A little more like himself.  
  
"At three in the morning, yes," she stated.  
  
He paused. "It's stupid."  
  
"Jess, you called me, now tell me."  
  
"I had a nightmare," he told her quickly.  
  
She wasn't expecting that one. "Oh. Are... are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah," he replied, his voice still going fast. Yeah. I just needed to hear you."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"I have to go. Sorry, Rory. Goodnight."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
Click.  
  
Too late.  
  
She glared at the phone, pressed Star sixty-nine, and called him back.  
  
"Uhm...St. James' General Hospital... How may I help you?"  
  
"You can tell me about your nightmare, because you woke me up, and I'm not gonna go back to sleep because I'm worried."  
  
"Rory..."  
"Quell my worry. Please?"  
  
"I..." he sighed. "I dreamt that it was you in that car, and not me..." she almost couldn't hear his voice. "I dreamt that you never woke up."  
  
She was speechless.  
  
"I just needed to hear you."  
  
"I dream that you never wake up, too."  
  
They were both silent.  
  
His voice was still impossibly quiet. "I could listen to you breath all night."  
  
She smiled. "Yours is putting me to sleep."  
  
"Are you saying my breathing is boring?" he asked jokingly.  
  
She laughed a little. "Not boring. Soothing. Relaxing." She yawned.  
  
"I'm sorry I woke you," he whispered.  
  
"Sokay. Tomorrow's Saturday. Although Paris never takes a break from waking up and shouting 'Good mooooorning Vietnam!'"  
  
He chuckled, but coughed a little. "So this is when my drugs wear off."  
  
She frowned. "Sleep, Jess."  
  
"I don't want to hang up."  
  
"I'll see you soon," she reassured him.  
  
"Tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What time?"  
  
She laughed. "Jess."  
  
"Humor me."  
  
"2:04 pm," she replied.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
She nodded and yawned again. "Promise. Now limp back to your room and rest."  
  
"Nah. I think I'm gonna download pornography onto the Nurses' computer."  
  
"Jess!"  
  
He laughed and coughed again. "Okay, okay, I'm going."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight," he repeated.  
  
Neither hung up.  
  
She laughed a little. "This is ridiculous."  
  
He nodded. "It is."  
  
"Did you get visitors today?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, I-" he heard random noise from her end. "What's that?"  
  
Rory looked up as the door opened. "Paris is home."  
  
"Ah," he nodded. "And how is her private tutoring going?"  
  
"Jess  
  


* * *

  
Paris rolled her eyes, knowing by the tone of Rory's voice that he'd said something derogatory. And she knew exactly what it had been about. Ever since he woke up from his coma a few days ago, Rory had been bringing him up to speed on her life, which meant bringing him up to speed on Paris' life as well. "Rory, why did you tell him about my personal life? And why do you waste your time on that Neanderthal?"  
  
Jess heard. "Rory, kindly ask Paris why she wastes her time on a man who probably needs her to change his depends for him."  
  
"Oh, my god," Rory muttered. "You both need to grow up."  
  
"What?" Paris asked innocently. "He's a Neanderthal."  
  
"I may be a Neanderthal, but I'm an articulate Neanderthal."  
  
Rory giggled.  
  
"And I date girls who don't need depends."  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"I love when you scold me," he joked. "You should do it more often. Kinda kinky... you crying out my name that way... makes me wanna do things to you."  
  
"Oh, god," Rory blushed, thankful that her room was dark.  
  
Paris watched Rory shift, listening to Jess on the other end.  
  
"Jess, stop, you're making me want to do irrational things," Rory said quietly, blushing even more.  
  
"Okay!" Paris cried, putting her hands in the air. "Don't need to hear this!"  
  
Rory laughed nervously and turned a deeper shade of red.  
  
"Tell her it's better than listening to her talk about her old grandpa of a man."  
  
"I'm not telling her that!" Rory cried.  
  
"Tell me what?" Paris asked. "What did that heathen say?"  
  
"Tell her," Jess egged on. "Come on."  
  
Rory laughed. "Paris is right. You are a heathen."  
  
"Can't deny it," he said, laughing a little, and coughing.  
  
"Jess, please go to bed." She watched as Paris hopped into her own bed, and turned over.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Goodnight," she said with a slight smile. "Give Hephaestus a kiss for me."  
  
"Oh, I see how it is," Jess said, his tone faux bitter. "The bear gets a kiss but I don't."  
  
"You'll get yours tomorrow," she reassured.  
  
"I want one now."  
  
"Well, that won't happen unless you find the secrets of teleportation in the next few seconds."  
  
He sighed. "Alas, I'm not that quick."  
  
"Then I will see you tomorrow."  
  
"Still want a kiss."  
  
She puckered her lips into the phone, eliciting a disgusted sound from her roommate.  
  
Rory snickered. "I'm getting icky noises from Paris."  
  
"Don't care."  
  
"Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight," Jess repeated. He stayed on the phone until she hung up, and then sat at the nurses' desk for a little while longer. 


	6. A Little Ju Jitsu?

He hated hospitals. He hated the food. The nurses were pissing the crap out of him. He hadn't had a cigarette in god knew how long, and he still ached and stung all over. His leg was still in its cast, and the only way he could move around was on a pair of crutches.  
  
He was getting restless fast.  
  
The only time he wasn't grumpy was when Rory came to visit, and since she had classes and homework, the visits were becoming further apart and shorter. He understood. Didn't mean he had to like it.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He turned to look at his mother, who had come to visit. She was sitting in the chair next to his bed. Stupid bed. He hated the sheets. They sucked.  
  
"How come you didn't stay in California?"  
  
He blinked and looked at his cast. He knew what she really wanted to know. Why hadn't he stayed with Jimmy?  
  
"We fought a lot," he told her truthfully. "About his leaving us. About my future. About... pasta, for god's sake, so I just... left."  
  
Liz sighed and put a hand through her son's hair.  
  
"I still hate him for leaving," he admitted quietly.  
  
Liz nodded. "Me, too."  
  
"He lives with his girlfriend, Sasha," Jess went on. "And her daughter Lily." His jaw clenched. "He treated her like..."  
  
"His kid?" Liz asked.  
  
He nodded. "I didn't belong there. I thought since... he's the one who came to see me first..."  
  
Liz nodded. "Jimmy's... Jimmy."  
  
Jess nodded back. "How could I have thought that? That's so naïve."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"He doesn't want me."  
  
"So what, Jess?"  
  
He turned to his mother again, eyes blazing in anger, ready to spit out something spiteful, but she stopped him.  
  
"Jess, you have me."  
  
"Since when?"  
  
Liz sighed, feeling guilty. "You have Luke."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You have Rory."  
  
"Barely."  
  
"I called him."  
  
Jess blinked. "You called who?"  
  
She flinched. "Jimmy."  
  
"You didn't."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"You did! What is wrong with you?!"  
  
"I thought he should know!" Liz cried, looking surprised at her son's outburst.  
  
"Yeah? Remember when I fell off my skateboard when I was eight? You think to call him then?! Or maybe that time that I fell down the apartment stairs. You call him then?!"  
  
"You guys have been in contact," Liz replied, trying to stay calm. "I thought-"  
  
"You thought wrong!" Jess yelled.  
  
"Jess, calm down."  
  
"No!"  
  
Liz sighed. "Jess, he's on his way."  
  
"Well call him and tell him to turn tail and go back the other way, because he's good at that."  
  
"Like you were any different," Liz snapped. "Leaving Rory like you did."  
  
"Don't talk about things you know nothing about!" Jess yelled. He struggled to his feet, holding onto the wall. "What do you care anyways?!"  
  
"Is this what you did with Jimmy, too?!" Liz raged. "Yell and say hurtful things?! Chances are you tried even less than he did!"  
  
"Right!" Jess growled. "Because you know so god-damned much about-"  
  
Stop.  
  
Liz's anger melted when he squeezed his eyes shut and fell back onto the bed.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He didn't reply, but she could tell he was having a hard time.  
  
She ran out to find a doctor.  
  
*****  
  
Rory had never seen Jess look so grouchy. And that was saying something.  
  
He was lying in bed, glaring off at nothing, as a couple of monitors he was hooked up to beeped nonchalantly. Hephaestus was lying on the floor next to the bed.  
  
She opened the door gently and peeked in. "Hi. It's 2:04."  
  
He nodded, but didn't say anything, or look at her.  
  
She picked up the bear and sat on the side of the bed. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Hephaestus fell."  
  
He had a smirk a little. "Isn't that always the way?"  
  
She fiddled with the bear a little, straightening it out, and Jess watched her.  
  
"You can have him."  
  
She gave him a quizzical look.  
  
"You'd take better care of him than I would." He looked away from her, at the wall across the room.  
  
She hugged the bear a little, and moved to lie down next to him. She knew full well he was being metaphorical, but she pressed no further on that subject. "Why the machines?"  
  
"I 'over-exerted' myself, they tell me."  
  
"Over-exerted?" she repeats. "You got the sudden urge to learn ju- jitsu?"  
  
"Liz," he told her.  
  
She didn't need to ask what he meant. "What was it about?"  
  
"Jimmy."  
  
She frowned. "Oh."  
  
"He's on his way."  
  
"Wow," Rory said shortly. "She called him?"  
  
He nodded. "Just what I always wanted. A nice, big, happy family reunion." 


	7. One Big Happy Family

Luke shook his head as he leaned against the counter with the phone to his ear. "Liz! The kid's been awake for less than a week and you already put him in traction?! Well what do you call it?" He sighed. "Well, you shouldn't have lost your cool... of course he lost his cool, he's Jess, he does that."  
  
Lorelei watched him from the other side of the counter. She couldn't believe the amount of concern Luke was showing towards Jess, after all that kid had put him through. It was almost uncanny.  
  
"What do you mean 'there's more'?" Luke asked, sounding suspicious. "You called him?! What's wrong with you?!" He groaned. "Liz, he didn't need to know. Because he didn't care enough to make things work with his own son... Y'know, maybe it really isn't Jess' fault this time. Yes! Okay? I hate Jimmy. Jimmy is scum. Jimmy is an idiot. Between the two of you it's a wonder Jess has any brains at-... hello? Liz?" He slammed the phone down. "She hung up on me."  
  
Lorelei shook her head and took a sip of coffee. "With your tact, I wonder why."  
  
"So Jimmy is on his way," Luke told her. "You get to see where my nephew gets his charm."  
  
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm just lucky, I guess. What was that about Liz putting Jess in traction?"  
  
Luke sighed. "They argued. He couldn't handle it."  
  
"Oh, man," Lorelei replied. She actually was concerned. Luke really did care about his nephew, and she was trying her best to make things easier on Rory. The last thing her daughter needed was for Lorelei to be unsupportive. She refused to act like her own mother. "Does Rory know?"  
  
Luke sighed. "Liz said Rory showed up a little while afterward. She's still there."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "When is Jimmy getting in?"  
  
"Tomorrow, Liz says," he replied, shaking his head.  
  
"You're really dreading seeing this guy, aren't you?"  
  
"He's a jerk! He abandoned Liz and Jess. He was the reason Jess skipped town," Luke replied. "If the guy had just stayed away..."  
  
"Jess was unhappy."  
  
"Jess is always unhappy."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "And that's why he has Rory as a foil, because she's usually pretty happy."  
  
Luke raised an eyebrow at her. "Lorelei."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you actually telling me that you're okay with Rory and Jess?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
  
"Not likely."  
  
She nodded. "Okay, then. I'm okay with it."  
  
He blinked at her, and refilled her coffee to the brim.  
  
*****  
  
"Jimmy."  
  
He nodded as he walked through the hospital the next day. "Liz."  
  
She got to her feet and walked over to him from the waiting room. She thought about hugging him, but came to her senses quickly. "How are you?"  
  
"My kid was almost killed, how do you think I am?"  
  
"Our kid," she corrected calmly. Luke was right. She had to keep her cool through all of this, because neither Mariano was likely to.  
  
"Well, hell's bells."  
  
Both Jimmy and Liz looked over at Jess, who was coming down the hallway on his crutches.  
  
"Jess?" Jimmy said quietly. The kid looked awful.  
  
"Here we are," Jess said as he reached his parents. "One big, happy family. I wish I had a party hat."  
  
"Jesus."  
  
"I warned you," Liz reminded him, bringing up their recent phone conversation.  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"You can stop staring," Jess said harshly. "Anytime, really."  
  
Jimmy sighed.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Your mother called me," Jimmy replied. "I thought I should come."  
  
"Huh. Nice."  
  
Jimmy put a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Jess."  
  
"No you're not," Jess snapped.  
  
"What do you expect from me?!" The older Mariano shouted. "Father of the year?! I will never be what you want!"  
  
"You didn't even try," Jess bit.  
  
"Why should I?!" Jimmy snapped. "You came after me!"  
  
"You came after me, first!"  
  
Liz got in between them. "Alright, enough!" she yelled. She sighed and looked from one to the other. "Jess, Jimmy came all the way out here to see you."  
  
"Out of guilt. It's not like he cares."  
  
Jimmy glared. "I don't have to take this. I can just go home."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Go, then."  
  
"I'm gone."  
  
They stood there glaring at each other. Jess's hands were shaking as they gripped the holds of his crutches, but he ignored them.  
  
Luke and Lorelei came walking up as the glaring battle raged on, and Luke shook his head, seeing the state his nephew was in.  
  
"Jess, bed."  
  
"Don't tell me what to do, Luke."  
  
"Bed. Now."  
  
"No."  
  
Lorelei sighed, and pulled out her cell phone. "Jess, take this, go to your room, call Rory, and calm down."  
  
Jess gave her the most confused look he could muster.  
  
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Take it. Go. I mean it."  
  
He nodded. "Thanks," he said softly. She couldn't tell if it was because he was losing his voice, or because he was that shocked. He took the phone and hobbled back up the hallway to his room.  
  
Liz gave Lorelei a grateful look. "Thank you."  
  
Lorelei nodded, refraining, for Luke's sake, about parents who can't seem to handle their kids properly.  
  
Luke sighed and looked from Liz to Jimmy. "So... how long have you been here... ten minutes?"  
  
Jimmy rolled his eyes.  
  
"You brought this on yourself," Luke told the other man. "You're the one who waltzed into Star's Hollow to get a glimpse. What? You thought you could just sneak in and out and that would be the end of it?"  
  
Jimmy didn't reply.  
  
Liz shook her head and took Jimmy by the arm. "We should talk. Thanks again, Lorelei."  
  
She nodded as Liz pulled Jimmy away to a far corner.  
  
Luke blinked at Lorelei.  
  
She glanced back at him. "What? Something in my teeth? Coffee stains?"  
  
He shook his head. "Just... thanks, for dealing with him."  
  
"Well, he really shouldn't be up and about yet," Lorelei replied. "He looked ready to fall over."  
  
Luke nodded. "Yeah. Thank you, again, though."  
  
She nodded and took him by the arm. "Come on, let's go find a snack machine."  
  
"You just ate."  
  
"Like that's ever stopped me before."  
  
Luke smirked a little and let her drag him off. 


	8. Howlin' Hephaestus

A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback! This part has heavy Literati, and heavy angsty!Jess. so be warned.  
  
Jess's phone call had been calm. They'd talked about her reading list for the semester, and he told her he'd read them with her if she wanted. She'd smiled at that, and realized then how much she'd missed having a reading buddy.  
  
When Rory walked into the hospital that afternoon, she hadn't expected anything to be amiss. Jess hadn't mentioned that his father had arrived.  
  
She spotted Liz sitting in the waiting room with a scruffy-looking man sitting next to her.  
  
"Rory," Liz said, getting up. "I thought you weren't stopping by today."  
  
She shrugged. "Jess called... I guess I just..."  
  
Liz smiled. "Yeah."  
  
Rory glanced behind Liz at the man, who was still sitting, and then gave an inquiring look to Liz.  
  
"Jimmy," Liz told her quietly.  
  
"Oh," Rory replied, slightly surprised. "Jess didn't mention..."  
  
Liz nodded. "Didn't think he would. Wanna meet him?"  
  
"Uh..." she was a bit unsure. "Sure, I guess..."  
  
Liz turned and nodded Jimmy over. He got up and made his way to them.  
  
"Jimmy Mariano, Rory Gilmore. Rory, this is Jess's dad, Jimmy."  
  
They shook hands, and Rory remained polite. Liz told Jimmy that Rory was Jess's girlfriend, and he sighed and smiled a little and commented that it was "nice" that Jess had someone.  
  
She felt awkward about meeting Jess's father like this. She felt as if she should have a stern talking to about how she was to treat their son, like the one Jess would get from her mother when he was a little better. She thought about asking Luke for one later.  
  
She wondered why Jimmy had left. Maybe if he hadn't things would be different for Jess. Then again, if this were so, she probably wouldn't have ever met him. She didn't really want to think about that, though. He was, after all, just down the hall and to the right.  
  
After Rory finished exchanging pleasantries, she walked down the hall and to the right and opened Jess's door. He was lying in bed again, hooked up to the same monitors as before, holding Hephaestus in front of him, staring.  
  
She smiled a little and climbed onto the bed to sit with him. "I bet that bear can hold the most invigorating conversations."  
  
He looked up at her and sat up slowly. "Hi. I thought you said you were going to study today."  
  
"I was," she nodded. "But we're reading 'Howl' in class."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So," Rory went on. "When I read 'Howl' I think Jess."  
  
"Ah, so I'm a cheap distraction."  
  
"Very."  
  
He smirked.  
  
She sighed and turned to face him. "So... your dad's here."  
  
His expression turned stony, and he went back to staring at the small bear. "He is."  
  
"I met him," Rory told him. "He's seems... polite."  
  
Jess didn't reply.  
  
"You fought, didn't you?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
She sighed. "Jess, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"You were in a good mood from class," he replied. "Why spoil that?"  
  
"Because I want to know what's going on with you," Rory replied. "This is what I was talking about when I said he had to work to be together. You've got to tell me things."  
  
"I'm not good at it."  
  
"Well, get good at it, because that's how this is going to work," she told him.  
  
They sat in silence.  
  
"I hate him."  
  
She nodded, and looked at him, as he stared back at the bear.  
  
"He left the day I was born," he said quietly. "And he came to see me last year. So I followed him, because he just... cut out on me again, and I wanted to know."  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Everything."  
  
They sat in silence.  
  
"He doesn't want me," Jess said flatly.  
  
"I do," she told him.  
  
He kept looking at the bear. "Why?"  
  
She stared. He couldn't be serious. After this past month, he couldn't possibly be serious.  
  
"I'm not kidding," he told her, still not looking her in the eyes.  
  
"Because I love you, you doofus," she replied, a tinge of anger in her voice.  
  
He finally turned from the bear and stared at her. He loved her eyes. Big, blue, swallow-you-whole eyes. He could stare for hours. "Love you, too," he told her quietly. The words still felt strange coming from his mouth, but it was what she wanted to hear, and it was what he wanted to say. He looked back down at the bear in his hands, and shoved it in her arms.  
  
"No."  
  
"Take him," Jess replied. "I want you to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he doesn't fit my image."  
  
"I bet you James Dean had a teddy," Rory snickered.  
  
Jess nodded with a smirk. "I bet he sucked his thumb, too."  
  
"Mhm." She sighed and finally took Hephaestus from him. "Fine. I'll take him. But if you want him back, you're getting him back."  
  
He nodded and kissed her briefly. "Okay."  
  
"So, when are you going to talk to your dad?"  
  
He shook his head. "Not going to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I don't have anything to say."  
  
"Well... he did come all this way..."  
  
"Because he felt guilty," Jess told her. "Because the week after I leave his place I nearly get killed."  
  
"What if he does care?" Rory asked him. "You're assuming something pretty hurtful."  
  
Jess didn't reply.  
  
"It's your decision," she told him. "All I'm saying is...maybe you should try to talk."  
  
Jess snorted. "You think I'm no good at talking things out, you should see him."  
  
Rory sighed and got up. "I have to get my homework done," she told him. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Just... think about what I said."  
  
He nodded, not looking at her. "You mad at me?"  
  
"Nope. Exasperated."  
  
He nodded. "Bye."  
  
She kissed the top of his head and then walked out.  
  
*****  
  
She called him after class the next day, and, to her surprise, he picked up the phone, and not the nurse who usually had to set things up so they could speak.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Hi."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Downloading porn."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Did you talk to your dad?"  
  
"Yeah," he told her. "He left."  
  
"That bad, huh?"  
  
"No," Jess replied with a sigh. "It was just... a mutual agreement of distance."  
  
She nodded and sighed, sitting on her bed. "Is that what you want?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"You don't know."  
  
He sighed again. "I don't know."  
  
"Is your mom still there?" Rory asked, playing with her foot a little.  
  
"She's leaving tonight."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"TJ."  
  
She frowned. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be," he replied. "I didn't expect her to stay."  
  
"Do you wish she would?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
He didn't know. 


	9. Coffee! Jess!

Luke watched his sister as she packed her things up, getting ready to leave Star's Hollow. Not for the first time. "Why leave?"  
  
"Because I have craft shows to make," she replied flatly.  
  
"He needs you."  
  
"Has he ever needed me?" Liz asked, turning toward Luke. "Really, has he ever, in his teen-aged to young adult life, needed me?"  
  
"You know he has."  
  
"He sure has a funny way of showing it," Liz snapped. "He yells, he cuts me off and when he's not doing that, he's..."  
  
"Being Jess."  
  
She sighed. "Just gimme a hug and a kiss g'bye and I'll be out of your hair."  
  
"You're his mother."  
  
"He's a big boy," Liz replied. "He doesn't need me. He doesn't want me around."  
  
"What ever happened to wanting him?" Luke asked. "When you thought he wasn't gonna make it you were there for hours!"  
  
"Well, he's fine now. He can take care of himself."  
  
Luke shook his head. "You are unbelievable."  
  
"Fine!" Liz yelled. "I'm unbelievable! I'm a bad mother and I'm irresponsible and I'm a screw-up."  
  
"Liz, I never-"  
  
"You didn't have to," Liz replied. "I have to go. TJ's waiting for me."  
  
He sighed and hugged her. "Call?"  
  
She nodded and hugged back. "I will."  
  
"Visit?"  
  
"We'll see."  
  
He nodded and let her go, watching her walk down the stairs. He looked out the window, and watched her leave the diner and hop into an old car, where TJ was waiting behind the wheel.  
  
*****  
  
"So, Jimmy left?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Jimmy left."  
  
"Thank god," Luke replied, leaning back in his chair next to Jess's bed.  
  
Jess didn't reply.  
  
Luke cleared his throat. "So..."  
  
"So."  
  
"They're gonna let you outta here soon."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Any idea where you're gonna go?" Luke asked.  
  
"Not a one."  
  
Luke sighed as they sat in silence.  
  
"If... if you wanted to come back... I know you hate Stars Hollow, but... just until you find a place of your own..."  
  
"Thanks," Jess nodded. "I might."  
  
Luke nodded back. In Jess-speak 'I might' meant a big, fat 'Yes.' "Well, Rory's spring break is coming up soon, so she'll be around."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry Liz left."  
  
"Don't be," Jess replied. "It was inevitable."  
  
Luke sighed. "You're mom's-"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"Can't wait to get outta here," Jess told his uncle. "I swear to god, when I'm out, I'm gonna eat the biggest burger ever."  
  
"Guess I'll have to stock up on ground beef then," Luke mused.  
  
Jess gave him a smirk. "So how's Nicole?"  
  
Luke shrugged.  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"She's your wife."  
  
"She's been busy working," Luke replied. "And I've been worrying about your sorry ass."  
  
"You don't have to," Jess told him. "You know that."  
  
Luke pushed his head playfully and got to his feet. "Shut up. I gotta get going for the dinner rush. We'll talk more later."  
  
******  
  
A Week and a half later...  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Yes, Sweets?!"  
  
"I have 'My Boyfriend's Back' stuck in my head!"  
  
Lorelei snickered as she applied her make-up in the upstairs bathroom of her home. She loved her daughter, and she loved it that Rory was home for spring break. She also loved it that Rory was so excited about Jess finally being released from the hospital. He'd taken his own sweet time in getting better, but it had finally happened, and it relieved Lorelei to no end to see her daughter so happy.  
  
"Don't worry!" Lorelei called. "We'll listen to Bowie in the car, you'll be fine!"  
  
Rory smiled at her mother's response and plopped down on the couch. They were getting ready to go to Luke's for coffee. And Jess. Well, not so much her mother for the Jess part. She hadn't seen him since before Yale had let out for break, and that had been days ago. For some reason, going days without seeing Jess seemed to feel like going months.  
  
She got up and hopped up and down at the foot of the stairs. "Mom!"  
  
"Coming!"  
  
"Coffee! Jess!"  
  
"Coming!"  
  
*****  
  
The usual crowd was gathered at Luke's that morning, and most of them were giving sideways glances to Jess as he limped around the diner, serving people their food, cleaning tables, and the usual diner chores.  
  
He still hated Stars Hollow with a passion.  
  
He sighed and looked around from behind the counter. "The prodigal son has returned," he muttered darkly.  
  
No one had actually said much to him, other than a few muttered "Thank you's" for his services. It didn't surprise him.  
  
"You couldn't just stay in your coma?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes at Dean's voice. "Go away."  
  
"I have an order."  
  
"Good, go shove it up your-"  
  
Luke yanked Jess away from the counter. "Go clean something. I got it, Dean."  
  
Jess and Dean gave each other the meanest of glares and Jess limped over to a table and began to wipe it with a bleach rag.  
  
"Gimpy," Dean muttered.  
  
Jess scowled. "Can still kick the crap out of you, you pansy-assed mother-"  
  
"Jess, clean!"  
  
Lorelei and Rory walked into the diner, chattering happily, and Rory stopped and smiled when she saw Jess.  
  
Lorelei went straight to the counter. "Coffee."  
  
"Hi, Lorelei," Dean said.  
  
"Hi, Dean," she replied pleasantly. And then she thought a moment. Dean. Jess. Rory.  
  
Jess leaned in to kiss Rory, but Luke put a stop to it.  
  
"No lips in my diner!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "Prude," he muttered. He raised an eyebrow at Rory. "I have a book for you."  
  
She smiled. "Really?"  
  
He nodded. "It's upstairs."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He nodded again. "Yeah. Wanna come get it?"  
  
She nodded. "Sure."  
  
He hobbled behind the counter and up the stairs and Rory followed him.  
  
Dean shook his head. He couldn't believe that after all Jess had put her through, Rory had taken him back. Hell, he couldn't believe Jess was back at all.  
  
God help Stars Hollow. 


	10. Swan Song Redux

He was lying on Luke's couch, with his face buried in a book.  
  
"Don't you own any nice clothing?!" Rory called from his bedroom.  
  
"They're in there somewhere."  
  
"Along with Jimmy Hoffa?"  
  
He smirked. "You've found me out." He sat up and sighed. "Why do you get to pick out my clothes?"  
  
"I don't, I just wanna see what you have."  
  
"You doubt that I own decent clothing," he nodded.  
  
"Do not!" Rory cried. "But how many pairs of jeans do you need?"  
  
He smirked again and shook his head. He slowly got to his feet, trying hard to keep most of his weight off of his still bandaged leg. He limped into his bedroom and stood behind Rory. "Still no luck?"  
  
She shook her head. "It is. It's like searching for Jimmy Hoffa. Where are they?"  
  
He dug through his closet and pulled to the back where a few hangers were. He pulled out a pair of nice, black slacks and an off-white button- down shirt that looked as if it would hug his frame.  
  
She blinked, and stepped into the closet. "What the hell, Jess?"  
  
He watched her with a raised eyebrow. "I could ask you the same thing? What are you doing in my closet?"  
  
"Looking for the drag dresses."  
  
He fished into the small, stuffed closet, and found her arm and dragged her out. "Well, I don't want you to see them. They need dry cleaning."  
  
"So, are you going to be nice to grandmother this time?"  
  
"I was nice the last time," he replied. "You were the one who made me look like a creep."  
  
She sighed. "Right. Football, not Dean. Sorry."  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"Hey, Rory?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You wanna know how I got that black eye?"  
  
"Yes. Because you don't play football."  
  
"You're right. I don't."  
  
She gave him a sideways glance. "So, how?"  
  
Nefarious swan."  
  
She blinked.  
  
"I got beaked."  
  
She tried her best to comprehend this.  
  
"I was walking, and this... swan... it..."  
  
She tried to hold back laughter.  
  
He glared.  
  
She cracked into laughter.  
  
He glared more.  
  
She laughed harder, and dropped to the floor.  
  
*****  
  
Rory came rushing down the stairs into the diner, where Luke was taking Kirk's order. Jess rushed as best he could down after her, and put a hand to his chest at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is it true?"  
  
Luke blinked and turned to Rory. "Is what true?"  
  
She giggled. "The swan?"  
  
Luke looked back at Jess who was glaring at no one in particular. Just the world. "Yup. The swan story is the complete truth. You shoulda seen him. He was freaking out."  
  
Rory snorted loudly, and grabbed onto the counter to keep herself from hitting the diner floor.  
  
Luke just shook his head. "You should both get ready. I've horror stories about punctuality at that place."  
  
"I bet it's haunted," Jess added.  
  
"By who?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"All those maids my mother winds up killing instead of firing," Lorelei chimed in as she walked up to the counter. "Three coffees."  
  
"Three?"  
  
"Three."  
  
Luke shook his head and repeated. "Three?"  
  
"I'm spending the evening with my mother, my daughter and my daughter's hoodlum boyfriend."  
  
"I prefer the term 'hooligan,'" Jess told her.  
  
"You're Italian, not Irish," Luke told him. He turned to Lorelei. "Compromise and call him a thug."  
  
Rory shrugged. "You can always call him Holden."  
  
Luke and Lorelei gave her a bewildered look.  
  
"Holden? Caulfield? Salinger?"  
  
"I get it," Jess offered.  
  
Rory sighed. "Well, that's something..."  
  
"I'm still angry at you, though," Jess told her.  
  
She couldn't help snickering. "A swan. I can't believe it."  
  
"A swan?" Lorelei asked. "What about a swan?"  
  
Jess mumbled something.  
  
"Oh, no," Lorelei said, dead serious. "You weren't brutally attacked by the evil swan, were you?"  
  
Jess gave her a blank look.  
  
"You were! Or, you poor thing! That mean thing is still alive, I can't believe it!"  
  
Rory was bewildered. "Mom?"  
  
Lorelei relayed the tale of her encounter with the evil swan, and the entire diner stared at her.  
  
She looked upon Jess with sympathy. "That swan is so evil. If you weren't Jess, I'd hug you."  
  
*****  
  
They arrived in Hartford ten minutes late, due to the fact that Jess had problems putting his pants on over the slightly bulky bandage dressings on his leg, and traffic was outrageous.  
  
Emily opened the door and hugged Lorelei and Rory. She gave Jess a polite smile he knew was only partially fake, and told him she was glad that he was making a recovery, noting bitterly that she hadn't heard that he was out of his coma until very recently, while shooting a Lorelei what passed for a glare in polite circles.  
  
Dinner was...  
  
The food was nice.  
  
Emily's questionings were a little uncomfortable. Questions about school, employment, the future. His answers didn't really please the eldest Gilmore woman at the table, but he didn't let it bother him. She could go to hell if she didn't like who he was. The best he could do was to be as polite as humanly possible. Which for Jess, meant saying polite things, and then mumbling insults under his breath.  
  
When dinner ended, and dessert had been served and eaten, they said their good-byes and took off down the road.  
  
"Sorry about Grandma," Rory said to him quietly.  
  
"Yes, because I blame you," he told her jokingly.  
  
She smiled a little and rested her head against the back of her seat next to him. "All the questions."  
  
He shrugged. "It doesn't matter what she thinks. Not to me."  
  
She sighed. "It does to me, a little," Rory admitted.  
  
He nodded and didn't say anything else.  
  
*****  
  
They pulled back into Stars Hollow, and Lorelei sighed. "Where am I dropping you off, Jess?"  
  
"Here's good," he replied, as they came up on the diner.  
  
Rory grabbed his hand before he could get out of the car. "You could come back to my place and hang out."  
  
He shook his head. "No, thanks. I'll call you." He got out of the car and started to walk toward the diner.  
  
Rory sighed. "Mom?"  
  
"Get 'im," Lorelei replied.  
  
Rory hopped out of the car and walked up to stand behind him. "Are you mad at me?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"You're acting mad."  
  
"Not mad."  
  
"What's bothering you?"  
  
He sighed and stopped trying to get the door open and turned to her. "You're not letting this go, are you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why do you care what your grandmother thinks?"  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. She's not someone I want to disappoint."  
  
"Is being with me disappointing her?"  
  
Rory didn't follow. "Jess... what are you talking about?"  
  
He sighed and turned back to the door.  
  
"Talk, Jess."  
  
"She made me feel like scum tonight, okay?" he told her, turning back to her again. "And I don't care what she thinks; she can make me feel like scum, she's not the first person to do it. But if you care what she thinks- "  
  
She surprised them both by cut him with her lips. She wasn't sure how comfortable she felt doing it out in the open, but that thought had to take a backseat to the fact that he obviously needed it.  
  
After she pulled away, he stared at her.  
  
"It matters what she thinks, because I want her to like you," Rory explained. "If she doesn't, it's gonna be hard, but it's not going to make me leave you."  
  
He nodded and looked down.  
  
"Come back to my house?" she asked, taking his hand.  
  
He didn't reply for a moment.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Yeah," he told her. "Let's go." 


	11. Naked Asleep?

Lorelei woke up the next morning, rushing around, getting ready to head to the inn, with her cell phone pressed to her ear.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Jason," she said. "I know I haven't been good about being in touch. I've been... my daughter's boyfriend was in the hospital and the insanity of dealing with his parents, and his uncle is a good friend of mine... Luke... yes, the guy you tailgated, you're just going to have to come to terms with it." She rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen. "No, lunch today would be great." She rushed into the living. "Chinese or- oh, god...there are two sleeping teenagers of the opposite gender on my couch...yes, clothes are securely on their bodies... That doesn't mean they didn't... I know I have to talk to Rory before..." she sighed. "Yeah. Okay. I'll see you at twelve-thirty. Bye." She hung up, still staring at the sleeping forms on her couch.  
  
Rory woke first, opening her eyes slowly and sighing. She closed them again and cuddled into Jess, who shifted a little and threw an arm behind his head.  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Rory," she whispered.  
  
Rory mumbled something incoherent and buried her head in the crook of Jess's neck.  
  
Lorelei sighed and bounced on her heels a little. "Rory," she hissed harshly.  
  
Rory's eyes finally cracked open and looked up. "Mom?" she asked quietly.  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Kitchen," she mouthed.  
  
Rory nodded and did her best to untangle herself from Jess, who was still fast asleep. She stumbled a little and walked into the kitchen where her mother was looking more than a little agitated.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Lorelei pointed out to the couch. "That?"  
  
"That's a who. And he's Jess."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"We were reading, we fell asleep on the couch," Rory explained, rubbing her eyes. "Why? What do you think-" she stopped, realizing. "Mom."  
  
Lorelei sighed guiltily. "I know, I know. I shouldn't think things like that, because you're Rory, and I know you wouldn't, but he's Jess! And he would."  
  
Rory sighed and sat at the table. "Mom... I just woke up."  
  
"I know. You woke up next to Jess."  
  
She nodded. "Mom, it's okay, really. Nothing happened. We fell asleep."  
  
"I know. But..." Lorelei sighed. "Just... you're at that age."  
  
Rory looked confused. "What age?"  
  
"That... college age! Where you... want... sex!"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
Rory sighed. "It hasn't been brought up in conversation."  
  
"Yet."  
  
Rory nodded. "Yet. He's still recovering. It's hard to think about when he's still kind of mangled."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Just... promise me you won't let him pressure you. And promise me you will do your best to keep me from becoming a grandmother too soon."  
  
Rory nodded. "Promise on both counts. Stop freaking out. You need to go to work."  
  
"I need coffee."  
  
"So go get coffee, and then go to work."  
  
Lorelei nodded and kissed Rory on the forehead. "I'm going to lunch with Jason today, but we can do dinner if you want."  
  
Rory nodded. "Sounds good. Have a good day."  
  
"You, too," Lorelei replied. "And no hanky-panky."  
  
Rory nodded as her mother rushed out the door.  
  
*****  
  
"Guess where I found Rory and Jess this morning?"  
  
Luke nearly dropped the mug of coffee he was bringing toward Lorelei. "If you say 'in a lewd position making sweet, sweet love,' I'm throwing you out."  
  
"Asleep on my couch."  
  
Luke breathed a sigh of relief, but stopped. "Naked asleep?"  
  
"No, clothes on and discarded book asleep," Lorelei replied, taking a sip of coffee. "Mm. Luke, you're a god."  
  
"So... did you just leave them there?"  
  
"No, I woke Rory up," Lorelei replied. "I freaked out, too."  
  
"Chances are you freaked out less than I would have," Luke said. "I probably would have thrown Jess out."  
  
"But... Jess lives here."  
  
"And?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head and drank more coffee.  
  
*****  
  
"So? Was I right?"  
  
Lorelei sighed as she picked at her lunch. "Yes, you were right. They fell asleep while they were reading."  
  
Jason nodded. "Y'know, you can't be freaking out like this. She's eighteen."  
  
"I know."  
  
"She'll probably do it within the next four years, and if they're as serious as you've told me, it'll probably be with this boyfriend."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I know. I just... why can't she be four again? She hated boys when she was four."  
  
Jason smirked and shook his head.  
  
*****  
  
Jess walked into the diner and began his normal chores for the day.  
  
Luke stared.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You sleep with Rory last night?"  
  
"Dammit," Jess grumbled. He'd been getting funny looks all morning. Gossip traveled to fast in this hell-hole. "Slept. Sleep. To sleep. To slumber. I could go get the dictionary from upstairs if you want the full technical definition of the term."  
  
"Nothing went on?"  
  
"If anything did go on, I wouldn't be telling you," Jess replied. "But since you're so intent on this, no, nothing went on." He sighed and took a seat for a minute.  
  
Luke sighed. "Sorry."  
  
"Whatever." He moved to get to his feet but stopped and winced.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"It's fine. Ribs are just giving me a hard time."  
  
Luke nodded and walked over to help his nephew, but Jess got up before he could.  
  
*****  
  
"So... you and Jess..."  
  
Rory blinked at her best friend, who had been kicked out of Yale for spring break. "What?"  
  
"Word on the straight..."  
  
"Oh, my god!" Rory cried. "What- ugh... Mom talked to Luke in the diner this morning, didn't she?"  
  
"That's what they're saying," Lane replied.  
  
"We slept on the couch."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"No!" Rory sighed. "We fell asleep. On the couch."  
  
"Oh," Lane replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. Whoops. "Whoops."  
  
Rory gave another sigh.  
  
*****  
  
"Mariano!"  
  
Again, the sound of Dean's voice rang loud and clear in Luke's diner. He sounded angry.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "Another giant order, Bagboy?"  
  
Dean walked up to the counter and got in Jess's face. "You're spreading rumors about Rory."  
  
The devil on Jess's shoulder appeared at once. "Hit him!" it said. "Kick the crap out of him! Knock his teeth out!"  
  
The angel on Jess's other shoulder (who looked suspiciously like Rory), wagged a finger. "Don't hit him. It's just a misunderstanding. He doesn't know what he's talking about."  
  
He compromised.  
  
"Luke?!"  
  
"Yeah?!" Luke called from the back.  
  
"Can you come up here for a second?"  
  
Luke emerged, and raised an eyebrow at the two boys. "What's..."  
  
"Luke, I'm gonna hit Dean."  
  
Luke yanked Jess out of the way, but Jess still went for Dean. Luke was able to hold him back.  
  
At that moment, Rory and Lorelei walked in, the former carrying a stack of books.  
  
*****  
  
"So he really thought that you were telling people that we slept together?"  
  
They walked to the bridge and stat down.  
  
Jess nodded. "Yup. Bagboy's an idiot."  
  
Rory sighed, and they sat in silence for a while.  
  
"Why didn't you hit him?" Rory asked.  
  
"He's not worth screwing things up with you," Jess replied looking down at the water beneath them.  
  
She smiled at him, and they sat in a little more silence.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you ever think about...?"  
  
He looked up at her to find her face quickly reddening and smirked a little. "Yeah," he told her. "Sometimes." Understatement. He couldn't count the times he'd thought about taking things farther with her.  
  
She nodded and turned a darker shade of red. "Hmm."  
  
"Do you?" he asked, staring at her intently.  
  
She sat silent, and he waited.  
  
Her face turned a darker shade of red and she kissed him lightly. "G'night, Jess." She got to her feet and walked off.  
  
He looked down at the water again and smirked a little wider with a raised eyebrow. "Huh." 


	12. Ra Ra Rin! Kick him the shin!

Rory walked home, feeling alright. Despite the near disaster between Jess and Dean, she was happy. She knew if she wanted to, she could walk back over to the bridge and sit, and Jess would probably still be there.  
  
"Rory."  
  
Dean's voice.  
  
She turned. "Hi."  
  
He sighed as he caught up with her. "Hi."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
He sighed again, and walked next to her. "I wanted to... apologize for today... wires were crossed. I heard wrong."  
  
Rory nodded. "It's okay. No fists thrown. No blood shed."  
  
Dean nodded back. "Yeah." He sighed. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"Why take him back?"  
  
Rory sighed. The question on the entire town's mind.  
  
"He hurt you really badly," Dean went on. "In more ways than one. And now he's back, and you just take him back like nothing happened."  
  
"My head kinda... went into overdrive when he was in a coma," Rory explained.  
  
Dean nodded.  
  
"I pictured all this stuff... I pictured him lying there, just... dead to the world... vegetable. I pictured his funeral and all sorts of other crazy things, and it made me realize how much I'd miss him if he wasn't... It made me realize how much I..." she sighed. "I guess you get the picture."  
  
Dean nodded slowly and looked down. "Yeah."  
  
"So... how's Lindsay?"  
  
*****  
  
"I can't believe it!"  
  
Jess sighed as he cooked lunch for them at her house. "It's a B, Rory. It's not that big a deal."  
  
"Says you!" she cried. "Everything else was an A! And that... that..." she fumed.  
  
"I was lucky if I got B's."  
  
"If you actually cared, you could have gotten straight A's."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"I bet if you studied, you could take your exams from last year and pass them."  
  
He sighed. "Rory..."  
  
"No! I bet you could pull it off if you made a deal with-"  
  
"No, Rory."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I don't wanna go back to school," he told her. "You know that."  
  
"This doesn't involve going back to school," Rory replied. "Did you even bother to show up for your finals last year."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"If you took them now and passed them, maybe they'd give you your diploma."  
  
"There's one problem."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't care enough to do that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, I just don't," he told her, turning from the stove. "Why are you pushing this?"  
  
Rory sighed. "You're so smart, I just feel like-"  
  
"I'm a waste."  
  
"No."  
  
He turned back to the stove.  
  
"Mad?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "A little."  
  
"I didn't mean it like that."  
  
"Whatever." He took the pot off of the stove and served her some macaroni and cheese and then set it down. "I'm going for a walk."  
  
She sighed. "Please don't be like this."  
  
"I'll call you."  
  
"Which means you won't."  
  
He walked out of the kitchen and out the front door, shutting it behind him.  
  
******  
  
"What're you doing here?"  
  
"Working."  
  
"It's your day off," Luke replied as he set some food down in front of Ms. Patty. "Where's Rory?"  
  
"At home."  
  
"Trouble in paradise," Patty muttered.  
  
Jess didn't reply, just kept stocking the doughnut display.  
  
"You walked out on her, didn't you?" Luke said.  
  
Still, he didn't reply.  
  
"Did you even try to talk things out?" Luke asked.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Rory walked into the Diner with a bitter expression, and Ms. Patty leaned forward to see what would happen next. Rory walked up behind Jess and kicked him in the shin.  
  
He dropped a doughnut. "Ow!" He spun around, almost falling. "Rory! What the hell?!"  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"You just kicked me!"  
  
"Yeah, because you left before I could apologize to you!"  
  
That shut him up.  
  
"I didn't know you would take it like that," she told him softly. "I didn't mean to push. I'm sorry."  
  
He looked down.  
  
"Still mad?"  
  
He shook his head and she kissed his cheek and hugged him.  
  
And at the point, most of the diner (except Luke, who was rolling his eyes), was applauding.  
  
*****  
  
"You have to be kidding!"  
  
Rory shook her head. "Nope. Whole diner started clapping." She laughed. "Jess looked like he was gonna eat someone's brains."  
  
Lorelei laughed as she shoveled the leftovers from Rory's lunch into her mouth. "So you guys are okay?"  
  
Rory nodded. "I think so. He's been kinda quiet. I think he might still be shocked that I kicked him."  
  
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "He'll get over it."  
  
"So, I never got to ask," Rory said. "How was lunch with Jason?"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "It was okay... He really, really wants to tell my parents about us."  
  
"What is it with you?" Rory asked in an amused tone. "Why don't you just get it over with?"  
  
"Because! What if they freak?!"  
  
Rory shrugged. "Then they freak. They'll get used to it."  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?"  
  
Rory laughed a little.  
  
"It's that boy, isn't it?" Lorelei asked in mock anger. "He's doing this to you."  
  
"Yup, he's brainwashing me."  
  
"I knew it!" 


	13. No Sherry?

A/N: I don't think they ever mentioned Rory's half-sister's name, so I pulled one out of my ass. If I'm wrong, feel free to smack me with a wet fish and correct me. Thanks!  
  
"Guess who's coming to town?"  
  
She was lying in her bed with the cordless phone held to her ear and Hephaestus the bear wrapped in her arms.  
  
"Santa?" asked the voice on the other end.  
  
"My dad."  
  
"Ah. When?"  
  
"Tomorrow," Rory replied, snuggling down into the covers a little more. It was getting late, but she needed to talk to someone. "It's weird. For a while, we talked all the time, and now, it's once in a blue moon. Again."  
  
Jess sighed. "Yeah, I know how that is."  
  
Rory nodded. "Will you come over?"  
  
"Will he kill me?"  
  
"Nah. I don't think he's quite the type," Rory snickered. She sighed. "It's so weird. I have a baby sister whom I've met once, the day she was born, and a very scary step mother. I don't see these people, and now all of the sudden, it's 'guess who's coming to dinner.'"  
  
"Just go with it," Jess replied. "I'm sure it won't be that bad."  
  
"You're gonna hate Sherry."  
  
"There are few people I don't hate, remember?"  
  
"She works for Loreal."  
  
"Shoot me."  
  
Rory smiled into the phone.  
  
"Do I have to be fancy like the thing for your grandmother?" Jess asked.  
  
Rory shook her head. "I don't think so. Dad's pretty casual... god, it's gonna be weird. The last time I saw him I was kind of forced into being nice."  
  
"Why wouldn't you be?"  
  
"He and mom were gonna get back together at one point," Rory replied quietly. "He promised me things were going to work out. But then Sherry got pregnant, and it all went to hell."  
  
"Still mad at him?"  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You sound a little off."  
  
"There's gonna be a baby here tomorrow that's related to me."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Have you ever been around babies?"  
  
He shook his head. "No."  
  
"Good, because the only baby I've ever really been around is Sookie's baby," Rory told him. "And only a few times. What do you do with babies?"  
  
"Eat them?"  
  
"I do hear they taste like chicken, but... no. Somehow I don't think that'll make a very good impression on my father."  
  
"True."  
  
She yawned a little.  
  
"Tired?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah. You?"  
  
He shrugged. "I'll probably stay up and plow through something."  
  
"Okay. Well... I'll stop by the diner tomorrow."  
  
"Why?" Jess asked. "I figured you'd be there waiting for your dad."  
  
"I feel like being fashionably late with my thug boyfriend," Rory snickered.  
  
"I see," Jess replied. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah. Hey, Jess?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We're okay from this afternoon, right?"  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't we be?"  
  
"Well, I did kick you."  
  
"And that hurt, by the way," he told her. "But... we're okay, you and me."  
  
She nodded. "Good. Good night. Happy plowing. I'll give Hephaestus a kiss for you."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Thanks. G'night."  
  
*****  
  
"So... no Sherry?"  
  
Christopher sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No Sherry. She's... on business."  
  
Lorelei nodded, sensing that something was up, but not pushing it. "Hmm." She looked at the baby lying in the carrier on the coffee table. "She's very cute."  
  
"Thanks." He sighed. "So... where's Rory?"  
  
Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Being fashionably late with her almost always fashionably late boyfriend."  
  
"Dean?"  
  
She shook her head. "No more Dean."  
  
"Damn," Christopher said. "I kinda liked that one."  
  
"Oh, you'll love this one," Lorelei replied sarcastically. "His name is Jess."  
  
"So she has a Jess."  
  
"Yup. Since they're not here yet, I need to lay down some ground rules."  
  
Christopher raised an eyebrow. "Ground rules?"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "No talk of school for Jess. He doesn't go. They had a blow-up about it yesterday that involved... mac and cheese, and shins..."  
  
"Shins?"  
  
"Shins," Lorelei confirmed. "He's working at Luke's until he's fully recovered."  
  
"Recovered?"  
  
"Giant car accident. Car was totaled. He landed in a coma."  
  
Christopher gave a whistle. "Hello, Days of Our Lives."  
  
"If you only knew."  
  
*****  
  
Obviously things did not go all too smoothly. They sat in the living room, trying to make small conversation.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, Dad?"  
  
"Could you and Jess please take your sister into the kitchen for a moment? I wanna talk to your mom."  
  
She nodded and got to her feet, taking hold of the baby carrier. She nodded toward the kitchen at Jess and he got up and followed her.  
  
Lorelei stared at Christopher. "What's wrong?"  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Where's Sherry? Really?"  
  
*****  
  
They stared at the quiet baby.  
  
"I still think we should eat her," Jess whispered.  
  
Rory giggled and pushed him playfully. "She's cute. She looks a lot like Sherry."  
  
"Well, Sherry is her mother," Jess pointed out. He tilted his head, still staring at the girl. "She's got kind of a pointy head."  
  
"Are you calling my sister a Cone Head?"  
  
At that moment, Lorelei came storming in. "Jess, I need my Rory. Out."  
  
He blinked at her.  
  
"Out!" Lorelei cried. "Go!"  
  
"Jesus, okay!" Jess cried, walking out. "What did Luke put in her coffee this morning...?" He walked out to the living room and sat down across from Christopher.  
  
"So..." Christopher said slowly. "You're the boyfriend..."  
  
"Hey, listen," Jess interrupted. "If you're going to threaten my life if I hurt your daughter, you're gonna have to grab a ticket and get in line, because this entire town is in front of you, and Lorelei and Rory, herself, have first dibs."  
  
Christopher couldn't help but smirk.  
  
****  
  
"Sherry ran out on him?"  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
"Wow," Rory said, sitting down. "Wow, wow, wow."  
  
"Yeah," Lorelei replied.  
  
"So now he wants..."  
  
"He said he'd like to 'see more of us,'" Lorelei told her. "I just... I'm so... I can't..."  
  
"Mom, breath."  
  
"How am I supposed to breath at a time like this?!"  
  
Rory got up and grabbed her mother by the shoulders. "Breath."  
  
*****  
  
"So, what's the plan?"  
  
Rory sighed as she walked Jess back to the diner that evening. "There really isn't one. Dad and Cordelia and gonna stay the night, and they're going to talk more in the morning."  
  
"And you?"  
  
Rory shrugged.  
  
"Gotta be pretty weird having a full house," Jess commented.  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah."  
  
They reached the diner door and Jess pulled the emergency key down. "Y'know... Luke's at Nicole's again. If you wanted to just... crash here..."  
  
Rory stared at his back as he unlocked the door. "I don't know. It'd be nice... I don't know if I can leave Mom alone with Dad and the baby though... and something tells me if I told her I was staying over here, she'd have another freak out."  
  
He nodded and turned to her, leaning against the window. "Right."  
  
They stared at each other for a few moments before she leaned forward and kissed him sweetly. He wrapped an arm around her.  
  
"I don't want to leave," she told him quietly when it ended.  
  
"So don't."  
  
She frowned and sighed. "I'm sorry."  
  
He smirked at her. "Don't be. You should get back before your mother has another flip-out."  
  
She nodded and kissed him once more before walking off.  
  
He watched her go and went inside. 


	14. Destructible

Massive Author's Notes: 1. For all of the Dean fans reading this, I'm so sorry. I thought I could portray Dean well, but I don't think I'm doing a very good job, mostly because my own biases come into play, and I just can't stand him. My Opinion: He's wishy-washy, whipped, and piney as all get-out, and I just don't like him. I apologize.  
  
2. I do not like, nor do I dislike Chris. But he is a pivotal part of Rory and Lorelei's lives, whether they like it or not. I haven't decided whether he'll be sticking around or not, and I'm trying to portray him in character. If I fail, again, I apologize.  
  
3. I am NOT trying to portray Lorelei as a whore. She has guy issues. She's always had them on the show, and I'm trying to work with that. She and Chris have always been, and probably will always be connected. Though, in this, they probably won't wind up together. I don't know who she's going to wind up with. Maybe no one. Haven't decided yet. She winds up with who she winds up with.  
  
4. I've been smacked with a wet fish. Chris's baby's name is Georgia. Scratch Cordelia. Let's pretend I wrote Georgia ;)  
  
5. Minor spoilers from last night's ep. Lane's got her apartment.  
  
Again, I'd like to thank everyone for the AWESOME feedback. It really helps me write, knowing people are reading. Thank you.  
  
Okay. Phew! Onto actually story.  
  
Rory knocked on the apartment door and waited. It opened and Lane stared Blearily. "Rory?"  
  
*****  
  
"Wow."  
  
Rory nodded. "All of the sudden, I hear Mom come out of her room, and Dad come up the stairs and..."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"The smacking noise was horrifying."  
  
"Did they try and get you not to leave?" Lane asked, leaning forward on the bed.  
  
Rory sighed. "They were already in my mom's room by the time I left."  
  
"Well, you can crash here as long as you want," Lane told her. "I'm sure the guys won't mind."  
  
"Thanks," Rory replied.  
  
"So, besides your parents doing horrifying things, how are you?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Good. Weirded, but good."  
  
"How's Jess?" Lane asked leeringly.  
  
"Jess is..." she smiled at her best friend.  
  
Lane laughed. "Spill!"  
  
*****  
  
"Hi, Mom."  
  
"Where are you?!" Lorelei cried, almost dropping her cup of coffee as she stood in their kitchen.  
  
"Lane's."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"  
  
"You were a little busy, Mom."  
  
Lorelei sighed and sat down at the table. "That loud, huh?"  
  
"Sonic boom loud," Rory joked. "Grandma could hear you in Hartford. Jess's dad called from California, asking what all the racket was."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Where's Dad?"  
  
"He took Georgia out for a walk," Lorelei sighed miserably. "I'm an idiot."  
  
"What happened last night?" Rory asked. "I mean... what was that?"  
  
"Me, being an idiot. Meet me at Luke's?"  
  
*****  
  
Rory and Lane walked in, just as Jess was pouring some coffee for a customer. Rory walked over to him and kissed his cheek as she snapped the coffee pot out of his hands.  
  
Lane shrugged and followed her best friend over to the counter to sit down.  
  
Jess looked down at his empty hands. "Huh."  
  
"Jess, can I please get French toast?" Rory asked.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Jess told her. He took the rest of his customer's order and then walked over to stand behind the counter.  
  
"Hey!" Rory said smiling. "You're less limpy!"  
  
Jess smirked a little. "Yeah. Getting better. So, French toast for milady. Lane?"  
  
"Doughnut."  
  
"Sprinkles?"  
  
"Always."  
  
Jess got to walk just as Lorelei walked in.  
  
Luke zoomed around with a pot of coffee. "Lorelei!" He held up the pot, and she bolted to the counter and sat down next to Rory.  
  
Luke passed the by Jess and handed him off the coffee pot, and he filled a mug for Lorelei.  
  
"Ah," she sighed. "Y'know what's scary? I'm almost starting to tolerate you."  
  
"The horror," Rory quipped. "You gonna let him call you 'Mom'?"  
  
"Never."  
  
"Ouch," Jess said his voice monotone. "I'm so hurt."  
  
"You will be if you don't fill my mug," Rory snickered.  
  
"Since when have you become so violent?" Lane asked.  
  
"Since a couple of days ago," Jess replied. "She kicked me in the shin."  
  
Lorelei gasped, as if she didn't already know. "You kicked an already crippled person? For shame!"  
  
"He left me no choice," Rory pleaded. "He was being difficult, with his grumpy mac and cheese."  
  
"That mac and cheese was damned good, by the way," Lorelei said. "Where'd you learn to cook like that?"  
  
Jess shrugged. "Who else would cook for me?"  
  
"Oh! I will!" Rory piped up.  
  
"She really is abusive," Lane marveled. "I'd watch out. You could be dead by morning."  
  
"Y'know what I was thinking?" Rory said suddenly.  
  
"Dean needs to stop glaring at me through the window?" Jess asked.  
  
Rory, Lane and Lorelei all turned to see Dean glaring. Rory turned back and looked down at her food. "That's not what I was thinking," she said quietly.  
  
Jess sighed and leaned forward on his elbows. He kissed the top of her head. "Sorry. What were you thinking?"  
  
She shook her head. "I'll tell you later."  
  
He sighed. "Yeah."  
  
"What is with Dean?" Lane asked. "When did he get all stalkery?"  
  
Luke sighed. "He's been stalkery. Why am I the only one who notices things in this town?"  
  
Lorelei's text message went off, and she read it. "Ugh. I gotta get to the inn." She got up. "Bye, kids." She kissed Rory's forehead, hugged Lane lightly, and reached over the counter to mess with Jess's hair. He couldn't quite dodge her hand, and gave her an annoyed glower.  
  
"Bye, Luke!" Lorelei called, rushing to the door. She bumped right into Chris. "Oh."  
  
"Hi," Chris said softly, as he wheeled Georgia's stroller in.  
  
"Hi," Lorelei replied.  
  
"Hi," Chris repeated.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Salutations," Rory chimed in.  
  
"Hi, Sweetie," Chris replied.  
  
"Bye," Lorelei said.  
  
"Bye," Chris replied.  
  
"Au revoir."  
  
"Shut up, Jess," Lorelei said as she left.  
  
"Huh."  
  
Chris sighed and took Lorelei's spot next to Rory. He slammed his head down on the counter.  
  
"Hey," Jess complained. "I just cleaned that."  
  
"No," Luke snapped. "I just cleaned that. You were staring at Rory."  
  
"Still."  
  
"That stare better have been above the neck," Chris warned.  
  
Rory turned red. "Dad!"  
  
He still didn't lift his head. "Sorry."  
  
"Want coffee... Dad?" Jess asked.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yes, Dad?"  
  
"Tell your boyfriend that if he ever calls me that again, he'll be very, very sorry. And that I would love some coffee."  
  
Rory shrugged at Jess, and he poured Chris some coffee.  
  
"Oh. Me, too, please?" Rory asked.  
  
"Nope," Jess shook his head.  
  
Rory looked outraged.  
  
"Two reasons."  
  
"Which are?"  
  
Jess held up an index finger. "One: you're gonna be so hyper you're bounce around like a pong ball."  
  
"And two?" Rory asked.  
  
"You're gonna be running for the bathroom all day."  
  
"Am not," Rory replied. "More coffee, or your shin gets it."  
  
Jess looked a little disturbed.  
  
"I'd give it to her," Chris said. "Gilmores are lethal when you withhold their coffee."  
  
Jess sighed and poured his girlfriend another cup.  
  
*****  
  
They walked through the park. Chris let Rory wheel Georgia's stroller.  
  
"So," Chris sighed.  
  
Rory nodded. "Dad?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you using Mom?"  
  
He gave her a startled look.  
  
"Every time you come here, you turn her inside out," Rory went on. "And you leave again."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"If you're using her... if she's your rebound from Sherry, it's not good," Rory told him. "You've been out of touch for months. Ever since Georgia was born."  
  
"Is that what this is about?" Chris asked. "You're being jealous of Georgia?"  
  
She stopped and turned to him. All she really wanted was a few phone calls, like she used to get. "You don't find it at all wrong that after Georgia was born you cut me out?"  
  
"I didn't."  
  
Rory nodded. "Okay. So where have you been?"  
  
"It's been tough, Rory," Chris told her. He knew she was right, mostly. He'd lost touch.  
  
"So? Maybe and Mom and I could have helped you when this first started. We could have baby-sat or... something! But you just show up after months of being out of touch, sleep with Mom and expect her to drop everything for you?"  
  
Her words really stung him, and he looked straight ahead of them at the trees. "I almost did for her."  
  
"Almost," Rory pointed out, her voice pleading. "You keep saying things, and making us promises that you can't or won't keep."  
  
"I want us to be a family, Rory."  
  
"You've said that before," she replied. "Don't ay it again until you mean it."  
  
He could only watch her as she walked off.  
  
*****  
  
She felt conflicted as she walked down the street toward her house. She loved her father very much, but she didn't want her mother to be hurt by him again. She didn't want to be hurt by him again, either.  
  
What if they got back together? Would it be right? Could they really work? Rory really doubted it. And it was sad. Damned sad. She never really said much, but she'd wanted her parents together in the past. She sniffed a little at this. It was a hopeless, childish dream, and it had to die. A tear slipped from her eyes and she sighed.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
She whirled around, and saw Dean. She sniffed. "Hi. What's up?"  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked, taking a step closer to her.  
  
She sniffed again and nodded. "Fine."  
  
"No, you're not," Dean replied, obviously worried. He hated seeing her cry. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, Dean," she repeated. "I gotta go."  
  
"Was it Jess?"  
  
She stopped and stared. Something in her snapped. She really couldn't handle this after the conversation she'd had with her father. "That's what you think about these days."  
  
He looked confused.  
  
"Instead of concentrating on the girl you married, and the job you have, you concentrate on Jess and I?"  
  
"If he hurt you-"  
  
"He didn't!" She cried. "Not everything is about Jess! Or what I do with Jess! Or how my relationship with Jess works! Or why I'm with Jess! And if you can't see that, then I pity you." For the second time that day, she stormed off. This time, in tears.  
  
Right past the diner.  
  
*****  
  
Jess saw her run past the diner.  
  
"Luke! Breaking!"  
  
He rushed out the door and did his best to catch up with her. "Rory!"  
  
She whirled around, still in tears.  
  
He grimaced and walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
She just cried. It hadn't been a very good day.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei was still trying to raise Rory on her cell phone hours later. Chris sat at the kitchen table, looking guilty. She hung up; once again, getting the same recorded "The number you have dialed is out of service at this time. Please try again later."  
  
"Still nothing" Chris asked.  
  
Lorelei sighed. "What was your first clue?"  
  
"I'm still sorry."  
  
"Yeah," Lorelei nodded. "What did you say to her?"  
  
"That I wanted us to be a family."  
  
"Chris..."  
  
"Why is that so wrong?!"  
  
Lorelei crossed her arms. "Because you've said that before, and the minute you found something better, you split."  
  
Chris glared. "Sherry was pregnant. I was trying to do the right thing."  
  
"I know, Chris," Lorelei sighed. "And it was the right thing. But it hurt Rory really badly, and you can't just expect her to jump into your arms yelling 'daddy!' when you come back."  
  
Chris nodded.  
  
"Rory is strong," Lorelei went on. "And Rory is smart and mature. But she's not indestructible. You're one of the few people who can reduce her to a puddle of messy."  
  
Chris sighed and put his hands through his hair. "What about us?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "I really don't know. I'm attached right now."  
  
"Ah. Who's my competition?"  
  
"Jason Stiles."  
  
Chris laughed. Lorelei glared.  
  
"He sounds like someone one of our fathers would work with."  
  
"He is."  
  
Chris was in shock. "You're dating one of Richard's partners?" He laughed.  
  
Lorelei glared, picked up the phone again, and called Rory's cell phone. Hoping that wherever she had gone off to, she was alright. 


	15. On a stormy night

They had sat on the bridge for two hours before it started pouring rain.  
  
"So much for this brilliant idea," Jess commented.  
  
Rory crossed her arms tightly and nodded. She'd said nothing the entire time and didn't seem like she was about to start.  
  
"Come on," he told her. "Let's go to the diner."  
  
She nodded again and followed.  
  
******  
  
"No, I haven't seen her," Luke said into the phone. "Jess ran outta here about two hours ago, chances are they're together... Jess won't let anything happen to her, you know that, Lorelei. I gotta lock up, I'm meeting Nicole for dinner. They'll turn up, don't worry. Alright. Yeah, If I hear anything I'll all. Okay. See you tomorrow." He hung up just as Jess and Rory walked in. Rory with her arms around Jess, looking like she'd been crying.  
  
"Rory?" Luke asked worriedly. He'd never seen her look so... dead.  
  
"Hi," she replied, her voice was horse and both she and Jess were soaked.  
  
Luke frowned. "Your mom just called, she's worried sick."  
  
Rory nodded. "I'll call her."  
  
"I'm gonna get her upstairs to dry off," Jess told Luke.  
  
"Do you need anything?" Luke asked.  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
He nodded and looked to Jess. "I'll call later."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
******  
  
Lorelei had never run for the phone so fast. "Rory?"  
  
"Hi, Mom."  
  
"Oh, thank god," Lorelei breathed. "Are you alright? Where are you?"  
  
"Jess's."  
  
"Do you want me to come get you?"  
  
"No. I'm gonna crash here tonight," Rory told her.  
  
Lorelei bit her lip. She didn't really like that idea, but the last thing she wanted to do was start a fight. "Do you need anything? Clothes?"  
  
"Can you come over and check on me?" Rory asked in a small voice. "I just can't talk to Dad right now."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "You got it, Babe. Be there soon. I love you."  
  
"Love you, too, Mom."  
  
Lorelei hung up and got her coat. "Chris! I'm going out!"  
  
He rushed out to the front hall. "Where is she? Is she alright?"  
  
"She's at Jess's," Lorelei replied. "I'm going to check on her. You're going to stay here."  
  
"Hey-"  
  
"She can't talk to you right now, Chris," Lorelei cut him off. "I'll be back soon."  
  
*****  
  
She was sitting on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket. He'd let her borrow a shirt and a pair of jeans, along with a belt.  
  
He walked over, also in dry clothes, and set a bowl of soup down in front of her. She stared at the bowl as he sat next to her.  
  
"Eat."  
  
"What about you?" Rory asked him.  
  
"I don't like soup," Jess told her.  
  
"Everybody likes soup."  
  
"I'll make myself a sandwich later."  
  
"I'm not eating until you eat," she replied. "It'd be rude."  
  
"And I worry about manners?"  
  
She gave him a small smile.  
  
He scooted closer to her and put an arm around her. "Never seen you that worked up."  
  
"Bad day."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"My dad..." she didn't finish.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And Dean."  
  
He blinked. "Dean?"  
  
"Dean."  
  
He nodded. "Huh." Dean was not going to live for very much longer.  
  
"I wasn't very nice to either of them," Rory said quietly.  
  
"They probably deserved it," Jess replied. Especially Dean. Damn him for making Rory cry. That did it. Bagboy was going down.  
  
"I was already upset when Dean came up to me," she told him. "He thought you'd done something to hurt me."  
  
Dead Dean. Dead, dead Dean.  
  
Jess didn't reply, which was fine since Lorelei began to knock on the door. Rory rushed to the door, swung it open, and threw her arms around her mother.  
  
Jess got up to check on their clothes that were in the dryer.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei sighed as she got ready to go twenty minutes later. "Okay. Don't do anything I would. And call if you need anything."  
  
Rory hugged her mother one more time. "Thank you, Mom."  
  
Lorelei nodded and hugged back. "Always. You know that. I'll see you both in the morning." She looked over at Jess. "No ding-ding."  
  
"Bye, Mom."  
  
Lorelei hugged Rory once more and then left.  
  
When the door shut, Jess blinked. "Ding-ding?"  
  
"She's been watching Robin Hood: Men in Tights again," Rory replied.  
  
"Ah."  
  
*****  
  
Chris blinked when Lorelei walked back into the house. "Where's... where's Rory?"  
  
"Jess's, I told you," Lorelei replied, taking off her raincoat and hanging it up.  
  
"And... you left her there... for the night."  
  
Lorelei sighed. She knew exactly where he was going with this. "Chris..."  
  
"You left her... at her hoodlum boyfriend's house for the night?" Chris asked, completely shocked.  
  
"He's a thug," Lorelei replied. "Get it right."  
  
"Lor!"  
  
"Nothing is going to happen," she told him.  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Y'know what? She's eighteen."  
  
"Point being..."  
  
"Technically she's an adult."  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "Lorelei, you're over thirty and you're still not an adult."  
  
"Yup. And Rory acts older than I do. So there you have it."  
  
"If he hurts her..."  
  
"You are at the back of the beat-down line," Lorelei replied. "Live with it."  
  
Chris sighed. "You really trust her this much?"  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
"Do you trust Jess?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "Not really. But he loves her, and he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her."  
  
Chris shook his head.  
  
*****  
  
It was so cold as she walked down the middle of the highway. Dark, too. The only thing she could see up ahead were flashing lights.  
  
No.  
  
Not again.  
  
She ran.  
  
When she reached the flashing lights, she saw the smashed car, with his mangled body inside. His deep brown eyes shut. Blood everywhere.  
  
And then there were her parents.  
  
"Rory!"  
  
She turned around to see her mother running up, wearing a long, beautiful wedding dress.  
  
"Mom?" She began to cry.  
  
"Oh, honey, don't be sad," her mother said. "We're getting married!"  
  
"Jess died, Mom!"  
  
Lorelei looked to Jess's lifeless body and shrugged. "There's always Dean."  
  
Rory only stared through her tears.  
  
"Lor! Rory!"  
  
Lorelei turned with a smile and waved at Chris, who was wearing a black tuxedo.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Hi, Honey!" Chris replied.  
  
"We're getting married, Rory, isn't it amazing?" Lorelei laughed, hugging her daughter.  
  
Over her mother's shoulder, Rory saw Chris pull something from his back pocket and point it. "Dad?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Rory. It has to end this way. It always does." He pointed the gun, Rory screamed and a shot rang out.  
  
******  
  
She shot up in bed with a start, and looked around frantically.  
  
Jess' room.  
  
She looked around more.  
  
No Jess.  
  
She got out of bed and rushed out to the couch.  
  
He looked up from his book and sat up. "Rory?"  
  
She just stood there, staring. He was fine.  
  
He got up and walked to her. "Hey. What's up?" he asked, brushing some messy short hair away from her face.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, not saying anything. She squeezed her eyes shut and held on.  
  
He stood shocked. She was acting strangely. Stranger than she usually was, and wasn't liking it. All he could do was wrap an arm around her in return.  
  
*****  
  
"I just think... I'll always care... Chris... I'll always love you. But it's too late. It can't work."  
  
Lorelei sighed as she looked in her mirror, practicing what she would say to her old flame, who was sleeping on the couch down the stairs. She sat on the bed and buried her head under a pillow.  
  
*****  
  
"What were you thinking about before?"  
  
Rory was curled up against Jess on the couch and he'd pulled a blanket over them. "When?"  
  
"This morning at the diner."  
  
"Oh..." Rory replied. "It's no big deal."  
  
She wasn't going to make this easy. He had to get her mind off of whatever whacked-out dream she had, or she'd never get any sleep. Neither would he, for that matter. "Tell me anyways."  
  
She sighed. "I was wondering... do we have an anniversary?"  
  
He gave her a confused look.  
  
"Y'know... a day... where... y'know a day."  
  
He shrugged. "Do you want one?"  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"You want one, don't you?"  
  
"We don't have to have one."  
  
"What day do you want?"  
  
"The day you woke up."  
  
"I wake up everyday."  
  
She gave him a scrunched up look.  
  
He smirked. "Okay. The day I woke up. So that'd be..." He thought. Oh shit. "Two days from now."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You're not giving me a lot of time."  
  
"It doesn't have to be anything special," she told him.  
  
He nodded. Sure it didn't. 


	16. Touch Me and Die

More Author's Notes:  
  
1. Re: Dead, Dead, Dean: Wow, that came off really biased in the last chapter, didn't it? Whoops. Seriously though, I think that's how Jess would react. Because those boys HATE each other. They will take any excuse to fight. They are the Spike and Angel of the Gilmoreverse. The Sex Pistols vs. Barry Manilow all the way. Cavemen vs. Astronauts, they'd totally duke it out. And if Dean ever got turned into a puppet, you can just bet Jess would be there to laugh his ass off and say "You're a wee little puppet man!"... okay, maybe he would just laugh, because I can't picture Jess saying that. *AHEM!* Sorry. Tangent.  
  
2. I really, really appreciate all the feedback. Seriously. And there will be more Rory/Jess stuff... but if people keep trying to tell me what to write, I'm gonna get a little upset. I appreciate the suggestions, but, (and in the words of John Crichton) I have a plan, so please, please don't tell me what I "should" be doing, because it's slightly off-putting.  
  
Rory had never helped open up the diner before, but she found it fairly easy. Luke had shown up late the night before, but she and Jess were fast asleep on the couch. She had been so disoriented, nothing could have woken her. She was feeling much better, though. More like herself than yesterday.  
  
It was still raining, and when they opened up the diner, various customers rushed in out of the storm. The first of which was Lorelei.  
  
"Rory!"  
  
"Mom!" Rory rushed out from behind the counter, and hugged her mother who hugged back, and that the same time, they said "I had the worst dream!"  
  
Jess looked to Luke. "If I had a bad dream would you hug me?"  
  
"No."  
  
Jess nodded. "Good."  
  
"Not unless you wanted me to."  
  
"Touch me, and die."  
  
Luke gave a short nod and went about pouring Lorelei her coffee. "Where's Chris?"  
  
"Georgia's being fussy," Lorelei replied. She picked up her mug and chugged it. "I almost forgot how hard it was to have a baby in the house... then again, Rory was never that fussy. She was usually a very happy baby."  
  
Rory smiled at her mom.  
  
"Jess used to cry when someone tried to pick him up," Luke said.  
  
"Huh," Jess said thoughtfully. "I guess that was the infant version of touch me, and die."  
  
Luke shook his head. "I think it had to do with the fact that Jimmy almost dropped you the first time he picked you up... well, the only time he picked me up."  
  
"Like that's at all surprising," Jess rolled his eyes as he went to take an order.  
  
"I wanna hear baby Jess stories," Rory said.  
  
Luke smirked and glanced at his nephew. "He was usually a pretty quiet kid. His first word was couch."  
  
"Couch?"  
  
"Liz was passed out on it at the time," Luke grimaced.  
  
Rory frowned a little.  
  
Luke tried not to laugh. "When he was eight, he started looking up ridiculously long words in the dictionary, so that when he argued with his mother, he could confuse her and win."  
  
Lorelei blinked. "Evil child."  
  
Jess walked over. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You," all three of them replied.  
  
Jess glared and went about making the order.  
  
"I wanna hear more," Rory smiled.  
  
Luke sighed. "There aren't that many fun Jess stories. Things were not good for him for a long while. Why do you think he was sent here?"  
  
Rory frowned at this, and watched Jess as he walked past them with a few plates in his hands.  
  
*****  
  
"So, what was your dream about?" Luke asked Lorelei after Rory had gone off the meet Lane, and Jess was upstairs on his first break of the day.  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I dreamed that Chris shot Rory."  
  
Luke gave her kind of a worried and confused look. "And... what did Rory dream?"  
  
"That Chris shot me. And that Jess died."  
  
Luke sighed. "Man."  
  
She nodded and took a sip of coffee. "I think she just had a hard day yesterday."  
  
"And you?"  
  
Lorelei shrugged. "I guess I was just worried about her."  
  
Luke nodded.  
  
"I'm going to tell Chris that this can't work."  
  
"Are you sure?" Luke asked. "I mean...you guys really had something, right?"  
  
"Had," Lorelei emphasized. "I don't think we can ever have what we had again. Not after all the let-downs. On both our parts."  
  
"So, you're not just doing this because Rory's upset with him," Luke confirmed.  
  
"I have my reasons," Lorelei told him. "Waking up with him in the house these past few days... a couple of years ago, it would have made me happy. Now, it's just... awkward. We've both changed so much."  
  
Neither noticed that Chris was sitting at the table by the window, watching them. He got up and walked out.  
  
******  
  
Rory met Lane at Al's for lunch. They were serving Cantonese.  
  
"So, what did you and Jess do last night?" Lane asked.  
  
"Talked. Read. Slept."  
  
"Kissed?"  
  
Rory turned a little red. "Some."  
  
Lane leaned forward. "More than kissed?"  
  
"Nope," Rory replied. She cleared her throat a little. "There was, however a thing with a wet towel and shaving cream this morning."  
  
Lane's eyes widened. "What?"  
  
"He let me put shaving cream on him for his shave, because he was looking kind of like a hobo," Rory explained, kind of embarrassed. "And he was in a towel, because he was just out of the shower, so I finished up his face, and then I put a shaving cream smiley face on his stomach."  
  
Lane laughed. "Wow, Rory."  
  
"I thought it was funny!" Rory cried. "So, then we start getting into this whole shaving cream fight, and..."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And..."  
  
Lane bounced in her seat a little. "And?"  
  
She looked down and muttered. "His towel fell off."  
  
Lane cracked up into laughter.  
  
"It's not funny! It was really embarrassing!"  
  
"You saw naked Jess!"  
  
"Lane!" Rory cried. "Not so loud!"  
  
Lane tried to stifle her laughter. "Sorry."  
  
Rory sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lane asked. "It's not that embarrassing. You were bound to see him naked at some point."  
  
"It's not that," Rory replied. "It's just... I don't know that much about Jess. I was talking to Luke this morning, and it reminded me that Jess hasn't always lived here. In fact, all things considered he's barely lived here at all. He had this whole other life before I met him. And he was in California for a long while, and he never talks about what it was like." She sat back. "And on top of all that, I still have my father to deal. And I told you about how I treated Dean. I still have to deal with that."  
  
Lane nodded. "Dean needs to just mind his own business."  
  
"He cares," Rory defended. "It's just that... he hates Jess so much, and it kind of scares me."  
  
"Jess hates him, too, remember," Lane pointed out. "It's a mutual thing."  
  
Rory nodded. "It's just... not as off-putting with Jess."  
  
"Because Jess doesn't obsess?" Lane asked.  
  
"Dean doesn't obsess."  
  
"He does, Rory," Lane replied. "And it's kind of off-putting. Which is a nice way of saying creepy. So just..." She trailed off.  
  
Rory nodded. "I will."  
  
******  
  
"You meant what you said in there?"  
  
Lorelei yelped as Chris walked into her bedroom that afternoon. She whirled around and sighed. "You scared me."  
  
Chris just stood there.  
  
"Did I mean what I said in where?"  
  
"The diner," Chris replied. "You said to Luke..."  
  
Lorelei blinked. "You were there?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And you were listening?!"  
  
Chris nodded. "Yup."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Time to really talk, huh?"  
  
Chris nodded again. "Yup."  
  
*****  
  
What does one get their significant other on their one-month anniversary? What does one do? Or say? Or feel?  
  
Jess Mariano had never made for a particularly good boyfriend. He'd never celebrated an anniversary with a girl before. Things never lasted long enough for that to happen, and so he found himself dumbfounded.  
  
He was also dumbfounded at how Rory had acted the night before. He'd never seen her so unnerved, or scared, and that had been off-putting. He was there when she needed him, but he wasn't really sure what to do besides let her hold onto him, and hold back. She'd refused to tell him about the specifics of her dream. All he could really gather was that it had been bad, and that it had scared her. He'd heard her whispering to her mother, but couldn't make anything out.  
  
If she didn't want to tell him, she wasn't going to. Whatever.  
  
But what to do about the whole anniversary thing...?  
  
*****  
  
Rory walked in, just as Chris was leaving. After her dream the night before, it unnerved her a little to see him, but she did her best not to let it show.  
  
He faced her after loading Georgia into the car and sighed. "Well..."  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
"Things didn't work out the way I planned," Chris said quietly. He gave a glance to Lorelei, who was sitting on the front stoop.  
  
Rory nodded again.  
  
He hugged her lightly and she tried not to tense up. She hugged back just as lightly.  
  
"Bye, Honey."  
  
She looked down. "I'm really sorry, Dad," she said quietly.  
  
He nodded. "I know. Me, too." He let go of her and offered her a smile. He got in the car and gently picked up Georgia's tiny hand and made her wave to Rory.  
  
Rory waved back with a small smile and a couple of seconds later, he was driving out of sight.  
  
She walked up to the porch and sat down next to Lorelei. "Wow."  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
"You let him go."  
  
Lorelei nodded again. "I'm so sorry, Babe."  
  
"Don't be," Rory replied, staring at where the car had been. "It always has to end this way."  
  
*****  
  
"So he just kind of left?"  
  
Rory nodded as they walked through the park that evening. "It was so... quick. Nothing was resolved. I told him I was sorry."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "He's the one who should be sorry. Not you."  
  
She sighed. "I said all those things, Jess."  
  
He stopped her and took her hands in his, facing her. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't.  
  
"What, Jess?"  
  
He shook his head and just stood there, still holding her hands.  
  
"Hey, Jess?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What... what kind of stuff did you do when you lived in New York?"  
  
He shrugged. "Stuff."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I read a lot."  
  
"You always read a lot."  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. I went to concerts. Couple of local bands that played a lot."  
  
"Cool," she nodded back. "What else?"  
  
"I became a gigolo," he told her seriously.  
  
"Oh-" she stopped, and gave him an odd stare.  
  
He smirked. "That was easy."  
  
She laughed and pushed him playfully. 


	17. Happy Anniversary

"Mom! I'm going through your closet!"  
  
"You have a closet! Full of clothes!"  
  
"I went through it already!" Rory yelled back from her mother's bedroom. "I don't want to wear anything out of it!"  
  
"Why not? It's just Jess! He's not gonna know the difference!"  
  
"I wanna look nice! It's our one month!"  
  
"You could wear a potato sack dress and a banana peel on your head, and he'd still fall all over himself!"  
  
"I'm borrowing clothes!"  
  
"Rory, will you get a move on? He's gonna be here any minute!"  
  
*****  
  
"Nice."  
  
Shut up."  
  
"No, I'm serious, you look good," Luke told him.  
  
"Stop it, you're scaring me," Jess told his uncle from his room.  
  
"What? I can't say nice things."  
  
"When do you ever say nice things?"  
  
He had a point.  
  
"If Rory doesn't have a good time tonight, I'll kill you," Luke told him.  
  
"That's the Luke I know and... know."  
  
"You going, or not?"  
  
Jess headed for the door of the apartment, a wrapped book in hand. "Bye."  
  
"Be back before dawn or your toast," Luke told him.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and left.  
  
******  
  
She opened the door and there he was, standing there in his nicest pair of jeans, and a button-down gray shirt. In one hand was what looked to be a wrapped book, and in the other, which was outstretched, was a small bouquet of flowers.  
  
"I brought flowers," he told her. "I don't even know if you like flowers, but I brought them anyways."  
  
Rory smiled and took them. "Thank you. They're-" she stopped as she inspected them. "You got these from Babette's yard."  
  
"No."  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Well... yeah."  
  
She gave him a wry smirk and shook her head. "Let me go put these in something." She retreated into the house, and he stepped in to stand in the front hall.  
  
Lorelei came out. "Ah. Jess. Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Where are you guys going tonight?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "If she doesn't have fun tonight, I'll kill you."  
  
He sighed. "I thought you were starting to tolerate me."  
  
She laughed. "Silly boy, that doesn't mean I won't kill you."  
  
He looked completely nonplused by this.  
  
"Rory, hurry up before Jess's stony face sticks that way forever!"  
  
"Rory, hurry up before I say something to your mother that you'll never forgive me for!"  
  
Rory walked out, holding a wrapped package that looked nearly identical to the one Jess was holding. "Jeez, can't you guys ever get along?"  
  
"No," they both replied.  
  
*****  
  
They walked down the street, away from Rory's house after being given the usual lecture by Lorelei.  
  
Jess smirked and nudged her. "Happy anniversary."  
  
She smiled and hooked her arm through his. "Happy wake-up-from-my- coma day."  
  
He gave a quiet snort.  
  
"It sure took you long enough," she told him. "Two weeks."  
  
"Oh, well excuse me. I'm sorry I couldn't be a little more punctual, Ms. Gilmore."  
  
She snickered. "So what are we doing?"  
  
He shrugged. "Whatever you want."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Neither do I."  
  
"We could... go stand on our heads in front of the diner and scare Luke," Rory offered.  
  
"Tempting, but not very romantic or anniversary-like," Jess replied. "We could steal a car and drive cross-country."  
  
"In one night?"  
  
"You do have a point."  
  
"We could conquer a small country," she offered.  
  
"Huh... that's an idea. What would we name it?"  
  
"Roryonia."  
  
He laughed a little. "And you would be queen."  
  
"Yes, yes I would," she smiled. "And you would be my manservant."  
  
Jess blinked. "Your what?"  
  
"Manservant."  
  
"I didn't even get bumbling, brainless king," he mused.  
  
"See, but you're not bumbling and brainless," Rory explained. "And the bumbling, brainless king never gets any love from the queen, while the manservant gets most of her attentions."  
  
"Ah," Jess nodded. He smirked at her. "I can live with that."  
  
She smiled and reached up and kissed him briefly. "So what are we doing?"  
  
He shrugged, pulling her a little closer. "We don't have to do anything. We could just go sit."  
  
She nodded. "Sitting works."  
  
"Usual spot okay?"  
  
She gave another nod, and they headed in the direction of their bridge.  
  
*****  
  
It had been a very short dinner.  
  
Nicole wanted the divorce.  
  
Luke couldn't say he hadn't seen it coming. They'd become very distant, ever since Jess had come back to town. In truth, maybe he'd been using his nephew as an excuse to spend less time with Nicole.  
  
It had been a mistake, the marriage. He knew that now.  
  
He just wished things could have turned out differently.  
  
*****  
  
They were lying on the bridge, her arm wrapped around him, looking up at the sky.  
  
"Tell me something true," she said.  
  
Jess gave her a quizzical look. "Like what?"  
  
"Anything," she replied. "Just as long as it's the truth."  
  
He nodded and looked back up at the sky. "You have just about the bluest eyes I've ever seen."  
  
She smiled a little and turned red.  
  
"They're like... how you read in descriptions in books," he went on. "'As blue as the summer sky' etcetera. Y'know?"  
  
She giggled a little.  
  
"Your turn," he said.  
  
"Tell you something true?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"You have a cute butt," she said quietly, burying her head in his chest.  
  
He looked down at her oddly. "Cute... oh. That. With the towel." He cracked a smirk. "That was funny."  
  
"You were naked," she squeaked.  
  
He nodded. "Yup. It's known to happen occasionally."  
  
She snickered. "More truth?"  
  
He sighed and thought. "I hate green beans."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, my mom always bought them canned, and they were slimy."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Your turn," he said.  
  
She sighed. "Like what?"  
  
He looked down at her seriously. "Like... what did you dream the other night?"  
  
She shifted a little, not looking him in the face. "Which night?"  
  
"You know."  
  
She sighed. "I don't wanna talk about it."  
  
"You told your mom."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"You died."  
  
He looked down at her oddly.  
  
"You were dead," she repeated. "You were sitting up in that smashed up car all... dead... and then my mom and my dad were getting married. They were in wedding clothes and everything, and then my dad pulled out this gun and-"  
  
She was cut off when he kissed her.  
  
"What was that?" she asked after it ended.  
  
"Seemed like a good idea at the time," he replied.  
  
She snickered. "So, what'd you get me?" She looked toward one of the two wrapped books.  
  
"How do you know it's for you?" he asked. "Maybe I bought that for someone else?"  
  
"Like who? Luke? Dean?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "Open it."  
  
She sat up and grabbed the book, tearing the paper open. She loved presents. It was something she'd picked up from her mom. Open a present as fast as you can, and to hell with pretty paper. Never mind that it was wrapped in what used to be a brown paper bag.  
  
When she'd gotten it open she smiled. "It's a Bjork book."  
  
Jess nodded and sat up. "It goes into details about most of her songs. Thought you'd like it."  
  
"What's your review on it?" she asked.  
  
"I didn't read it."  
  
"Liar."  
  
He smirked. "I liked it."  
  
She smiled and picked up the unopened book. "Here." She handed it to him.  
  
He sighed and opened the blue, shimmering paper carefully.  
  
"Just rip it," she told him.  
  
He smirked and continued to be careful with the wrapping, until he uncovered a leather-bound book. He looked it over. The cover read 'For Whom the Bell Tolls.' "Where...?"  
  
"My Grandpa's library," Rory told him. "First edition."  
  
He looked up at her from the book. "Thanks."  
  
She smiled as he leaned over and kissed her. 


	18. A New York State of Mind

A/N: Unfortunately, Fanfic.net HATES me. So I haven't received any feedback that has come in since chapter 15. So if you would like to send me feedback, the only way I'll get it is through email: Trumpetlee@aol.com Thank you!!  
  
2. Gloria is mine. Yes, I'm taking some liberties with Jess's New York life.  
  
They quietly walked into her house at around one in the morning. It was dark, and Rory closed the door as softly as she could. Not that she had too much to worry about. Her mother could sleep through anything.  
  
She turned from the door to face him. He looked almost eerie in the dark. Standing there, hands in the pockets of his jeans, big brown eyes staring at her calmly. She walked toward him and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. "Thank you for tonight," she said softly.  
  
He nodded and kissed her hair as he swung his arms around her. "Love you, Rory," he said quietly, almost inaudibly.  
  
She smiled and kissed his neck softly. "I love you, too, Jess."  
  
He pulled back a little and kissed her deeply, just as the light clicked on.  
  
"Gooooood morning!" Lorelei said with a smirk as she walked into the front hall.  
  
Rory pulled away from Jess and smiled, obviously embarrassed. "Hi, Mom."  
  
"Did you guys have a good time?" Lorelei asked his a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, it was great," Rory replied, clearing her throat. She took another step away from Jess, who was now holding her hands. He was staring at her. She was staring back.  
  
"It's late," Lorelei said. "Jess, you should get home before Luke starts to get worried."  
  
Jess turned from Rory and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Er... it's getting late, you don't wanna get mugged or-"  
  
The eyebrow rose higher.  
  
"Go home!" Lorelei cried. "We'll see you in the morning for coffee."  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah."  
  
No one moved.  
  
Lorelei rolled her eyes, took Jess by the shoulders and pushed him towards the door. "Say g'night, Rory!"  
  
Rory smiled. "G'night, Rory!"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Say g'night, Jess."  
  
He looked back over his and Lorelei's shoulders at Rory and smirked. "G'night, Jess."  
  
*****  
  
"Have fun?"  
  
Jess nodded as he walked into the apartment, plopped down on the couch and opened up the leather-bound book Rory had given him.  
  
"Did she?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"How much fun?"  
  
"Raunchy, Porno fun," Jess replied, not looking up at Luke, who was glaring.  
  
"Gypsy fixed your car."  
  
Jess blinked up from his book. "She did?"  
  
Luke nodded. "I gave her the cash for it."  
  
"Thanks." He looked back down at his book.  
  
"You uh... you got a phone call," Luke told him.  
  
Jess blinked, and lowered the book. "I don't get phone calls."  
  
Luke handed him a posted note with a number and a name on it. "You do now."  
  
Jess looked it over. "Huh."  
  
Luke dangled the cordless phone in front of his nephew, who took it and dialed. "Grandma? Is Gloria there?"  
  
*****  
  
Knock, knock, knock.  
  
"If I had a gun, I'd shoot you! It's two in the morning!" She swung open the door to see Jess standing there. "Jess, what the hell are you doing?"  
  
"I came to say goodbye to Rory."  
  
"Goodbye?"  
  
"I gotta go home for a few days."  
  
"Well, she's asleep, Jess."  
  
He nodded. "Just tell her... bye... I... love her, and I'll be back soon."  
  
"Jess?"  
  
Jess looked past Lorelei. "Rory?" He looked back to the older Gilmore. "You said she was sleeping."  
  
"She was."  
  
Rory pushed in to stand next to her mother. "What's going on?"  
  
"I gotta go, Rory. I'll be back in a couple of days."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Home."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Emergency."  
  
She frowned.  
  
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, okay? I gotta go."  
  
"I'm going back to school on Monday morning," she told him.  
  
He sighed. "And it's Friday, now, I know. I'm sorry. I have to do this."  
  
"Can I come with you?"  
  
He gave her a weird look, as did Lorelei.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Rory, maybe you should stay," Jess said.  
  
"No, if it's that important-"  
  
"Rory, it's so late," Lorelei cut her off. "Go with Jess another time."  
  
Rory sighed.  
  
"I'll be back, I promise. I swear," Jess told her. "But I really have to go." He began to walk off.  
  
Rory bit her bottom lip. She didn't want him to go. She didn't want him to drive, mostly. She looked to her mother, who was still standing in the doorway, looking as conflicted as Rory. Something was obviously very wrong.  
  
"Jess!" Lorelei called.  
  
He turned back, looking slightly confused.  
  
"Wait ten minutes for Rory to pack a bag."  
  
Rory stared at her mother in shock. "Mom?"  
  
"Look at him," Lorelei replied, gesturing to Jess, who was standing awkwardly halfway to his car. "He's frazzled. He needs you. Go pack clothes and stuff."  
  
Rory smiled and rushed up the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
"So why are we going?" Rory asked groggily as Jess drove. She had started to fall asleep at the wheel. He'd insisted on driving. She hadn't really wanted him to, though. They were only half-way to Manhattan.  
  
"Because my best friend is a dumb-ass," Jess replied, looking out at the road.  
  
"What'd he do?"  
  
"He landed himself in the jail." Jess sighed. "You should get some sleep. We've got another hour to go."  
  
"Where are we staying?"  
  
"My grandmother's house."  
  
"I thought Luke and Liz's mom died," Rory yawned, curling up a little.  
  
"This is Jimmy's mother."  
  
"Oh. I didn't think you knew any relatives on his side," Rory mused.  
  
"When he split, and Liz stopped being around, Grandma Sofia looked after me a lot."  
  
Rory nodded, blinking to keep awake.  
  
"Sleep."  
  
"No."  
  
"Rory, sleep."  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She looked over at him as he kept his eyes on the road. "For what?"  
  
"For doing this," he replied. "For packing up your stuff and hopping in a car with me to go to New York at two in the morning."  
  
She nodded, starting to drift off. "Told you. Love you."  
  
He gave a half smile to the road and took her limp hand and kissed it. "G'night, Rory."  
  
"Hmm..." she fell asleep.  
  
*****  
  
She was so tired when they arrived an hour later that he had to help her out of the car and into the apartment building. He walked her up a few flights of stairs and to a dull green door. He sighed and tried the door. It was unlocked.  
  
He sighed and walked in, Rory half asleep on his arm.  
  
Rory tried to wake herself up a little and looked around blearily. The apartment was of medium size, with a kind of beige color scheme.  
  
Sitting on the couch was a girl around their age with curly brown hair, done up nicely, wearing a dark red tank top and a short, black skirt. She got up and smiled a little at Jess. "Took you long enough," she said in a heavy New York accent.  
  
"Thass your grandmother?" Rory asked groggily, tilting her head at the girl.  
  
Jess smirked. "Nah. This is my cousin, Gloria. Gloria, this is my girlfriend, Rory."  
  
Gloria smiled widely. "Nice t'meet you, Rory."  
  
"What're you doing here? I thought I was gonna meet you at the police station," Jess said.  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes. "He was pissin' me off, so I left him there."  
  
"Who?" Rory asked quietly.  
  
"Jamie," Jess replied. "He's my best friend. And he's an idiot. What did he do?"  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes. Rory smirked, noticing Gloria's eye roll was exactly like Jess's. "Don't get me started."  
  
Jess sighed. "Which means you probably did the right thing by leaving him."  
  
Gloria smirked. "Well, in any case, it's good to see you." She hugged Jess, who patted her shoulder awkwardly.  
  
Rory started to drift off again.  
  
Jess sighed, and hoisted Rory into his arms and carried her over to the couch. He laid her down and she blinked at him a little.  
  
"Sleep."  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes.  
  
He sighed and got up and walked into the kitchen, where Gloria was sitting. He sat down across from her.  
  
"So, that's Rory."  
  
Jess nodded. "Yes, that is Rory."  
  
Gloria smiled. "I like her."  
  
"You've said two words to her."  
  
"Shut up and be happy that I like her."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and sighed. "How are you?"  
  
Gloria shrugged. "Same old. How's Hoo-hah Connecticut?"  
  
Jess glared. Gloria smiled. 


	19. It was Projectile, too!

A/N: Reviews are coming in slowly but surely. I was shocked when they actually started working this morning. Thank you soo much for your feedback!  
  
iminlovewithaboynamedJESS: Thanks for your grammar input. I have issues with repetitiveness, I know. I'll try and work on that in the future.  
  
Jess's OOC-ness: Like I said, this is my first GG fic, so yes; the characterization will be a little off sometimes. I apologize. I am trying. I adore Jess as a character, because I feel he has a ton of different levels, and he's fun to work with. If he comes off OOC, just know that I am trying my best. Thanks for your patience.  
  
The Towel Scene: Is written, but I decided not to post it. I may, at some point, post it as a half-chapter.  
  
*puts on a pair of cranky pants for a minute* Re: Jimmy's Momma: Just because Jimmy left Jess and Liz in the dust does not automatically mean that the rest of his family did. Sorry to those who don't find this realistic. This is, after all fiction.  
  
Onto the Fic!!  
  
Rory woke up to the smell of coffee brewing and smiled, but when she opened her eyes, she wasn't where she thought she'd be.  
  
She sat up and looked around the apartment blearily. Then she remembered.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Jess is out right now," said a voice she didn't recognize.  
  
Rory got to her feet and looked over to the small kitchen to see an older woman with dark, graying hair, sitting at the table. She reminded her a little of Jess. Her skin tone was the same as his, and she had the same color eyes. She was very short, and kind of skinny.  
  
"Hi," Rory said slowly. "You must be Jess's grandmother. I'm-"  
  
"Rory Gilmore," the older woman finished, getting to her feet and walking over. "He told me. And please, just call me Sofia. 'Jess's grandmother' makes me feel much too old."  
  
Rory smiled. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
Sofia nodded, and circled Rory, looking her up and down. "You're very skinny."  
  
Rory looked down at herself. "Which is kind of a scientific miracle, considering how much I eat."  
  
"How much do you eat?" Sofia asked. "Not enough. Come on. I'll make you breakfast."  
  
"Oh! You don't have to," Rory replied. "I'm sure when Jess gets back- "  
  
"Who knows when that boy will come back," Sofia interrupted. "Stupid boy."  
  
Rory held back a snicker.  
  
"Now sit. Would you like some coffee?"  
  
Rory nodded vigorously. "Yes, please."  
  
Sofia raised an amused eyebrow at her.  
  
"I live off of the stuff," Rory told her guiltily.   
  
Sofia smiled understandingly and poured her a cup.  
  
****  
  
Lorelei walked into the diner that morning alone. She sat down at the counter and sighed.  
  
"Hey," Luke said. "Where's Rory?"  
  
"New York."  
  
Luke's eyes widened. "You let her go with Jess?"  
  
Lorelei shrugged. "She wanted to. And he looked pretty crazed."  
  
"My god!" Luke cried. "Who knows what will happen! How could you do that?!"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I don't know I just-" she was cut off by her cell phone.  
  
Luke glared at her as she answered it. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Mom!"  
  
"Rory! Hi! How are things, did you guys make it okay?"  
  
"Yup," Rory replied. "Everything's fine. Jess stepped out, so I'm hanging out with his grandma."  
  
"Well?" Luke asked anxiously.  
  
Lorelei pulled the phone away from her mouth. "They're staying at a brothel," she whispered. "Rory's learning how to pole dance, and she says that Jess is really hot in bed."  
  
Luke glared more harshly than before.  
  
"Oh, my god, Mom, I wish you were here," Rory told her. "Sofia is showing me old photos. Jess was the cutest baby in the world. He dressed up as Batman for Halloween when he was three, and he had the most adorable scowl ever."  
  
Lorelei gasped. "You have to bring some back! I wanna see Jess as Batman!"  
  
"I'll see what I can do," Rory replied. "We should probably be back either tomorrow night, or Sunday morning."  
  
"Oh, god, today's Friday, isn't it?" Lorelei said suddenly. "Oh, god, what am I supposed to tell your grandparents?"  
  
"That Jess had an emergency and I had to go with him, for emotional support," Rory replied. "Which is the truth."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I suppose. Well, see if you can smuggle me some baby photos. Are you okay? Are they feeding you?"  
  
"I'm great, Mom," Rory replied. "And yes, Sofia cooked me a ton of food, so I'm good."  
  
"Okay, well, I'll see you when you get back. And tell Jess that if he doesn't bring you back in one piece, Luke and I are tag-teaming him."  
  
"Will-do. Bye, Mom."  
  
"Bye, Babe." She hung up and sighed. "Well. She's alive. And fed. And she has new embarrassing Jess material."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled about that."  
  
"What's up with you today?" Lorelei asked, watching as he milled around the diner, filling people's coffee.  
  
"What do you mean?"   
"You seem kind of off," Lorelei replied. "I can't explain it. You seem like you're kind of... sad."  
  
Luke shrugged and threw out a couple of dirty napkins.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nicole wants a divorce, okay?" he snapped. "Jeez."  
  
Lorelei stared at him, shocked. "Oh, man... Luke, I'm so sorry."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
He shrugged again.  
  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
Lorelei sighed.  
  
*****  
  
"It was just a fight!"  
  
"You knocked the guy's teeth out," Gloria replied. "You broke a bar stool over his head, and you kicked him in the nuts! In plain sight!"  
  
"He deserved it!"  
  
They were dragging Jamie along, his hands still cuffed behind his back. His blond hair was frazzled, and his tall frame was covered in dingy, wrinkled clothing.  
  
Jess shook his head. "You never change, do you?"  
  
Jamie rolled his eyes. "And you're the poster child for redemption, right?"  
  
"At least I don't get drunk and start hitting people."  
  
"Nah, you do that when you're sober," Gloria commented. She opened up the apartment door, and shoved Jamie inside. "Gramma! We're home!"  
  
Sofia and Rory looked up from the couch. Rory looked at Jess and giggled.  
  
Jess blinked. "What?"  
  
Jamie leaned over and whispered to Gloria. "Who's the hot girl?"  
  
Gloria elbowed him, and he heaved a little.  
  
Rory's giggles turned into full-blown laughter and she put her face in her hands.  
  
It was then that Jess saw the photo album in his grandmother's lap. His eye twitched. "Gramma..."  
  
"Rory and I were just looking at some old pictures," Sofia smiled. "You were such a cute boy. I wanted her to see you before you mastered your glare."  
  
His eye twitched again.  
  
Rory smiled at him after she'd gotten her laughter under control. "You were so cute."  
  
He glowered.  
  
*****  
  
"Hi, Mom."  
  
"Lorelei, hello."  
  
"Uhm... bad news," Lorelei said into her cell phone as she walked around the Dragonfly.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Rory won't be at dinner tonight."  
  
"Oh? Why not?"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Jess had to go home late last night. Something about his best friend being in trouble, and she was really worried about him, so I told her she could go. So she's in New York, staying at his grandmother's house. And I'm really sorry, but it meant a lot to her to be able to go, and she's really sorry she's missing dinner, but this is important to her because it's important to him."  
  
"You just... let her go to New York with him?" Emily asked. "Alone?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What were you thinking?!" Emily cried. "Do you know how dangerous that is? And with that... Hoodlum-"  
  
"Thug."  
  
"Whatever!" Emily sighed. "Have you heard from her?"  
  
"Yup," Lorelei nodded. "She called this morning. She's well-fed, and has naked baby photos of Jess."  
  
Emily sighed. "I still can't believe you let her go."  
  
"Why do I have to keep reminding people that she's eighteen?" Lorelei groaned. "She's pretty much an adult. She can make her own decisions."  
  
"He'll get her into trouble," Emily warned. "He's that type."  
  
"Jess doesn't have a type, Mom. Jess is just Jess. And I may not trust him all the way, but I know that he'll take care of her."  
  
"How do you know, Lorelei?"  
  
"Because He loves her."  
  
"How do you know that, Lorelei?"  
  
"Because he said so."  
  
Emily sighed.  
  
*****  
  
"So... you're really hot."  
  
Rory looked up from the photo album she and Sofia had been looking at to see Jamie. "Uhm... thank you?"  
  
Jess glared. "Hey Jamie?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You remember when we were ten, and I did that experiment to see how many punches to the gut it would take to make you throw up?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Don't make me do that again."  
  
Sofia had gone for groceries, leaving the three to sit at the kitchen table. Gloria had taken pity on Jamie and uncuffed his hands. He had immediately gone over to greet Rory, and was shoved harshly by Jess.  
  
Rory gave Jess a slightly horrified look. "You did that?"  
  
Gloria nodded. "It was projectile, too."  
  
Rory scrunched up her nose. "Ugh."  
  
"It was actually kinda funny," Jess mused.  
  
"You only say that because it landed on Leslie," Jamie replied.  
  
"Who's Leslie?" Rory asked.  
  
"Slut," Jess and Jamie chorused.  
  
"They both dated her," Gloria explained. "She cheated on both of them."  
  
"Wow," Rory looked to Jess. "She's your ex?"  
  
Jess brooded. "Thank you, Gloria."  
  
"You didn't tell her about Leslie?" Gloria asked.  
  
His brooding became deeper.  
  
"She's an idiot," Gloria told Rory. "She treated him terribly He started smoking because of her."  
  
"I smoke because I want to," Jess bit.  
  
"You smoke because she shoved a cigarette in your mouth," Gloria said, glaring at her cousin.  
  
"I need a cigarette." Jess got up and walked out to the small balcony.  
  
Rory turned in her chair and watched him light up.  
  
"Don't worry about him," Gloria said. "He'll cool off."  
  
Rory nodded, still watching him. "So... Leslie was..."  
  
"First girlfriend," Jamie replied. "First fuck, too."  
  
Gloria smacked Jamie. "Jesus! Stop talking!"  
  
"She was!" Jamie defended.  
  
Rory shifted a little. "Well... that's..."  
  
"You didn't need to hear that," Gloria sympathized. "He's sorry."  
  
"You guys fucking?" Jamie asked Rory.  
  
"God, Jamie, shut up!" Gloria cried. "You don't have to answer that."  
  
"I need air," Rory told them. She got up and walked out to the balcony to stand next to Jess.  
  
"Drive you crazy, don't they?" Jess asked, blowing smoke out of his mouth.  
  
Rory nodded. "A little. They kind of remind me of people back home... with bad language."  
  
Jess nodded. "Don't worry about them."  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"So... Leslie was..."  
  
"A mistake... I regret every minute."  
  
"Don't say that."  
  
He shook his head, looking out off the balcony. "It's the truth."  
  
"Did you love her?" Rory asked. She didn't sound angry, or worried. It was just a simple question.  
  
He didn't answer at first. He just looked over the balcony.  
  
"If you did... it's no big deal," she told him. "I loved Dean... I think."  
  
Jess shook his head. "I don't know if I did or not." He stubbed out his cigarette and turned around, leaning his back against the balcony. "She didn't love me."  
  
"How do you know?" Rory asked, looking at him.  
  
He didn't reply or look at her.  
  
She couldn't help smile again. "You were cute as a baby."  
  
He glared at her. "Stop."  
  
"You were Batman," Rory laughed.  
  
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. 


	20. The Chicken or the Egg

A/N: 1. Jamie is an asshole, but he doesn't mean any harm. Unless you argue with him. Then he gets mad. And violent.  
  
2. The places in NY I mention? They're made up. I don't claim to know a damn thing about Shopping or nightlife in New York. The establishments have been pulled out of my ass for you to read.  
  
3. Jess's Grandmother = hardcore. I just wanted to say that.  
  
4. The Song Choice: Love Song by The Cure. Why? 1. This song rules. 2. It reminds me of Rory and Jess a bit. 3. I belieeeve they both listen to The Cure. Rory, at least.  
  
Onto the fic  
  
"So... what exactly did Jamie do to wind up in jail?" Rory asked Gloria as they walked down the city sidewalk. Sofia had come home from the store and kicked them out so she could make lunch. Jess and Jamie had gone to find the latter a change of clothes, and Gloria had dragged Rory out with her.  
  
"He got drunk, and he started arguing with this guy about... the chicken or the egg."  
  
Rory raised an eyebrow at the curly-haired girl. "What?"  
  
Gloria cracked a smile. "Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Jamie said the egg. This other guy said the chicken. Things got outta hand, and Jamie started swinging. And throwing. And kicking. He's very violent."  
  
Rory nodded. "Jess, too."  
  
"You're lucky you've never seen them fight together," Gloria commented.  
  
Rory nodded and looked around the crowded sidewalk. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Shopping," Gloria smiled. "You need clothes for tonight."  
  
"What's tonight?" Rory asked.  
  
Gloria's smile grew wider. "We're goin out." She grabbed Rory's hand and dragged her into an eclectic-looking clothing shop. There were racks and displays everywhere. The decor involved a lot of lamps and string lights that lip up the room as best they could, as the walls were painted a dark gray.  
  
Gloria zoomed straight to a skirt rack and pulled out a black, belted skirt that looked to hit mid-thigh. She handed it to Rory.  
  
Rory looked shocked at the skirt. "I can't wear this."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'll be living in wedgie-ville all night! The paranoia will drive me insane."  
  
"Oy... you're gonna be picky, aren't you?"  
  
Rory looked a little guilty. "Sorry."  
  
Gloria smiled and took the skirt. "Sokay. I'll wear this."  
  
Rory gave her a smirk and wandered over to a dress rack and started sifting. She glanced back at Gloria, who was now rummaging through tops. She really liked the girl. She had a laid-back nature that most of the girls at Yale lacked. Gloria had a slightly Lane-ish quality about her. They would probably get along.  
  
She kept sifting through dresses, until she pulled out a dark blue number that had tank-top sleeves and a scoop neck that showed off a modest amount of chest. The skirt portion was slanted, and went from the lower thigh to mid-knee cap. The entire dress was layered with a thin, shimmer-y mesh-like fabric.  
  
She smiled and turned to Gloria. "Found one." She held up the dress.  
  
The curly-haired girl looked up and smiled. "Cool. You'll look great. Jess will flip."  
  
"Any luck?" Rory asked, walking over to her.  
  
Gloria nodded and held up the skirt and a plum-purple, gauzy peasant top. "I'm all set."  
  
Rory smiled and they headed for to the counter to pay.  
  
*****  
  
Jess sighed as he waited for Jamie to finish getting changed. "What's taking so long?"  
  
"I can't find any pants," Jamie called loudly from his room.  
  
"Aw, god," Jess muttered. "How did we wind up being friends, again?"  
  
"Corey Marshall beat the crap out of both of us in first grade, and we tag teamed him and took him down," Jamie replied.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Jess smirked. "I remember that. We broke his nose."  
  
"No, you broke his nose. I broke his arm."  
  
Jess nodded. "We were a couple of little bastards."  
  
"We still are," Jamie laughed.  
  
"Not so much anymore."  
  
Jamie finally came out, wearing cleaner clothes. "What's with you, man? You're so fucking different."  
  
Jess shrugged. "It's the girl. I don't know. I feel so much more..." he sighed. "What the fuck am I talking about, again?"  
  
Jamie smirked and patted his best friend on the shoulder. "Come on; let's go help your gramma with lunch."  
  
*****  
  
"I want to tell them, Lorelei."  
  
Lorelei sighed guiltily, as she sat across from Jason at lunch that day. She didn't know what to do. She hadn't seen Jason since before Christopher had come and gone.  
  
Christopher.  
  
It was over between them.  
  
It didn't change the fact that Lorelei had cheated on Jason with him.  
  
She hadn't realized things were so messy.  
  
And Luke was getting divorced.  
  
She didn't know why that thought popped into her mind. It was none of her business. She felt terrible that things hadn't worked out with Luke and Nicole.  
  
Though part of her was slightly relieved...  
  
"Lorelei?"  
  
She looked up at Jason. "What?"  
  
"I want to tell your parents about us," Jason replied. "I really think it's time. It's getting a little ridiculous."  
  
"Well, I'm a little ridiculous," Lorelei informed him.  
  
Jason smiled. "I know. But..."  
  
"Yeah. You want to tell them," Lorelei nodded. "I just... I don't think I'm ready."  
  
"Will you ever be?"  
  
She sighed.  
  
Christopher. Jason. Luke.  
  
Dammit.  
  
*****  
  
"I like her."  
  
Jess looked up from slicing tomatoes in the kitchen. His grandmother was smirking at him. "Like who, Gramma?"  
  
"The girl. Rory," his grandmother replied. "She eats."  
  
Jess smirked and nodded as he went back to slicing. "Yeah. She does."  
  
"The last one didn't eat."  
  
Jamie rolled his eyes. "That's because she's a- OW!"  
  
Sofia smacked him in the head with her spatula. "More mix, less talk."  
  
Jess smirked and kept slicing.  
  
******  
  
"So, do you go to school?"  
  
Gloria nodded. "Yup. I got to the community college around here. I'm studying to be an elementary school teacher."  
  
Rory smiled. "Wow, that's really great."  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"Yale."  
  
"No way!" Gloria looked shocked. "That's so amazing!"  
  
Rory blushed a little and shrugged. "It's... it's a lot of work. I go back to school on Monday."  
  
"I wish I coulda gone to one of those big schools," Gloria said wistfully. "That'd be great."  
  
"Why didn't you?"  
  
"Not enough cash," Gloria shrugged. "Plus, Gramma needs me."  
  
Rory nodded. "Do your parents live with you?"  
  
"My mom passed away," Gloria replied as if it were nothing. "And my dad's... wherever."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rory said, kind of shocked. She wasn't expecting that. It was probably the last thing she was expecting. "When did your mom pass on?"  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes. "I was eight."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Ah, it's not a big thing," Gloria told her. "It was a long time ago."  
  
Rory nodded. It was a scary thought. Not having any parents. It made her want to call her mother and talk for an hour. Hell, it made her want to steal Jess's car and drive home just to give her mother a hug. And it made her want to forgive her father.  
  
She suppressed a sigh.  
  
*****  
  
Jess straightened his white button-down shirt that evening as he waited for Rory to get ready. Gloria was dragging them out to one of her favorite clubs. Jess had never been a big fan of this, but Gloria was determined to show Rory a good time while she was in the city. They were to leave the next morning.  
  
Sofia smiled at him, and straightened his collar even more. "You're a handsome boy."  
  
He smirked. "Thanks, Gramma."  
  
"Don't be stupid tonight," she cautioned.  
  
He sighed and nodded. "Yes, Gramma."  
  
"If you come home drunk, you sleep in the hall."  
  
"Yes, Gramma."  
  
"I mean it."  
  
He rolled his eyes, and she smacked him upside the head.  
  
He flinched and glared. "Ow."  
  
*****  
  
The club was nice. The four of them mostly sat and talked. They ran into a couple of Jess's old friends from when he lived in the city. They seemed nice enough. Gloria would sporadically grab Jamie and drag him onto the dance floor.  
  
"Are they together?" Rory asked Jess over the loud music.  
  
He shrugged. "Who can tell?"  
  
Rory smirked. "You don't like it here, do you?"  
  
"They play crappy music," Jess replied.  
  
Rory nodded. "Yup. But most places probably do."  
  
Jess nodded, and glanced at her. "You look really great, by the way. I don't know if I said that."  
  
She smiled and turned a little red. "Thank you. You look nice, too."  
  
He smirked at her briefly, but sighed a moment later, and went back to his stony complacent look.  
  
The song changed, and Rory heard the familiar sounds of The Cure. "Oh, great song," she said over the opening riffs of "Love Song."  
  
Jess nodded. "It's good."  
  
They sat in silence and she stared at him a little.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Jess stared back. "What?"  
  
She shrugged and smiled.  
  
"You wanna dance."  
  
She gave him a guilty look.  
  
"I don't really do dancing," he told her.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"But..."  
  
She looked back up at him and smiled. She got up and pulled him to his feet and led him onto the dance floor.  
  
*****  
  
"You danced."  
  
Rory smiled as Jamie continued to tease Jess. It had gotten colder by the time they exited the club, and Jess had tossed her his heavy leather jacket, as her dress didn't provide much protection against the night's wind.  
  
"Shut up, Jamie."  
  
"You did!" Jamie laughed. "You danced! You got all close and snuggly and you danced, ya big softy!"  
  
Jess glared. "Don't make me hurt you."  
  
Gloria smiled and nudged Jess. "You're not a bad dancer."  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Y'know, if I remember correctly, he's not a bad dancer at all," said a new voice.  
  
Rory turned to see a girl of their age, who had straight red hair, and a skinny, almost sickly figure. Her dress was light lavender, and didn't leave much to the imagination.  
  
Gloria shook her head, and tried to herd them off in the opposite direction, pulling Rory by the arm gently. "Come on, it's almost one in the morning, we gotta head back."  
  
"Who is that?" Rory asked Gloria quietly as she let herself be dragged.  
  
"Leslie," Gloria whispered.  
  
Rory glanced at Jess, who was lighting a cigarette. He didn't seem affected at all by the appearance of his ex-girlfriend.  
  
It was Jamie who turned around and glared at the girl they were leaving behind.  
  
Rory glanced back behind her, seeing the girl smile and wave. She seemed eerie. Almost dead. Almost ghostly, it seemed. She had to wonder what exactly had happened between Jess and the ghostly redhead.  
  
*****  
  
Gloria leaned against the bathroom doorframe as she watched her cousin wash his face in preparation for bed. "So?"  
  
"So, what?" Jess asked, wiping his face.  
  
"You saw Leslie."  
  
"No, I didn't," he replied, turned to Gloria, leaning on the sink. "I heard Leslie. I didn't see her. Rory saw her. You saw her. Jamie saw her. I didn't see her."  
  
Gloria sighed. "She's gonna be here every time you come back. And she still wants... well... you, I guess."  
  
"She's messed up," Jess replied. "She doesn't know what she wants."  
  
"One of these days, you're gonna have to tell me what really happened," Gloria told him, grabbing a hairbrush from a small basket near the sink.  
  
"She cheated on me," he replied simply. "You know that."  
  
"But there was something else she did that you aren't telling me. Or Jamie. Or Rory," Gloria said as she began brushing her hair. "She did something else. If she hadn't, you woulda turned around tonight and told her off."  
  
Jess stared intently at the wall behind Gloria.  
  
She smiled a little and patted his hair. "G'night, Jess."  
  
He nodded as she left, and shortly after, he sauntered out to the living room, and laid down carefully next to Rory, who was already asleep on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her, and breathed her in. He was asleep shortly thereafter. 


	21. Cutest Tushy Ever

Lorelei was laughing loudly as she sat at the counter in the diner. Sofia had given Rory a few old photos before they'd left for Stars Hollow that morning, and she'd immediately shown them to her mother, who was more than happy to see them.  
  
"Oh my god! Look at that tushy!"  
  
Thankfully, Jess wasn't there to hear this. He had gone up to the apartment to sleep more.  
  
Rory laughed. "Wasn't he cute?" She pointed to the Batman picture. "Look at that glare? Is that not the cutest glare on the face of the planet?"  
  
"Oh, he was cute alright," Lorelei replied. She looked up at Luke. "What happened?"  
  
Luke rolled his eyes and brought some food over to a table. "So what are you guys planning to do today?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "Probably just hang out."  
  
"You're leaving tomorrow," Lorelei whined. "That sucks. You should stay."  
  
"Mom, I have to go back to school," Rory replied. "If I'm not back by three tomorrow afternoon, Paris will probably send out a search party."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I have you for the day, though, right?"  
  
Rory nodded. "All day."  
  
Lorelei smiled.  
  
*****  
  
Jess hated phones.  
  
It kept ringing, and ringing, and he really wished that Luke had bothered to put in an answering machine. He stumbled out of bed and picked up the phone with a clumsy, sleepy hand. "H'lo?"  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He sat down. "Sasha."  
  
"Hey, kid."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"How you doin?"  
  
"You woke me up."  
  
He heard her smirk. "You sleep too much anyways."  
  
"What do you need?"  
  
"Just making sure you're okay," Sasha replied.  
  
"You're a month late on that one," he told her.  
  
"There's a reason, though," she replied. "If I'd called right after your dad had come back, and he'd walked in, and I told him it was you, he woulda gotten all grouchy about it. See, he'll just put on a stoic face and say 'huh.'"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You're doing okay?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah. Just got back from New York, actually. Had to bust a buddy out of jail."  
  
"Ah," Sasha said wistfully. "I remember those days. He okay?"  
  
"Yeah, he's fine," Jess replied. "Dumber than ever, but fine."  
  
"And you? How long had it been since you've been back there?"  
  
Jess sighed. "Over a year."  
  
"Was it good?"  
  
"It was New York."  
  
Sasha sighed. "What does it take to get you to open up?"  
  
"A scalpel."  
  
She laughed a little. "I gotta go, Jess. You take care."  
  
"Yeah, you too," Jess replied. "Tell Lily I said hi."  
  
"What do I tell Jimmy?"  
  
He hung up the phone and went back to sleep.  
  
*****  
  
"Tell me everything!"  
  
They were walking around Stars Hollow, just roaming. Rory smiled and thought about her weekend.  
  
"Jess's grandmother is so funny," she started to tell her mother. "She's really take-charge, and I think she's the only person that Jess actually takes orders from."  
  
"Wow," Lorelei marveled. "You mean... she says 'Jess! Go to bed!' or... 'Jess! Clear the table!' and he does it?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yup. And he has a cousin, too. Her name is Gloria, and she's really nice."  
  
Lorelei looked shocked. "Jess has nice relatives? You mean they aren't angry, and bitter like he is?"  
  
Rory laughed. "He's not that angry. He' just... Jess. We ran into his ex-girlfriend."  
  
"Oooh," Lorelei smirked. "Drama. What was she like?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "We didn't talk to her. It was kind of in-passing, and Jess didn't even turn to look at her. Gloria looked kind of worried. I think something really bad happened between them."  
  
"What did she look like?"  
  
"Slutty," Rory replied. "She was wearing this purple thing that showed off... just about everything... Oh! And...I went shopping and got this dress. I gotta show you."  
  
"Oh, can I borrow it?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Sure. Just don't leave it at Jason's house... speaking of..."  
  
"Luke and Nicole are getting divorced."  
  
"Wow," Rory looked shocked. "That's not what I was going to inquire about, but wow."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "I don't know why that matters to me. It shouldn't, should it?"  
  
"Well... Luke's your friend... this has to be really tough on him. But what does this have to do with Jason?"  
  
"I think I'm losing interest," Lorelei replied worriedly. "I don't think Jason and I are going to last too much longer... I don't know. I just... your dad came back, and I... I feel like it turned my whole world upside- down."  
  
"Well... you did kinda cheat on Jason with Dad."  
  
"I know!" Lorelei cried, flinging her hands out. "And I feel awful. I'm an awful, awful person! I don't know what to do."  
  
Rory put an arm around her mother and sighed. "You'll figure something out. Don't worry so much."  
  
*****  
  
Jess blearily watched Luke slam around the apartment looking for different items. "What's your problem?"  
  
"I don't have a problem," Luke snapped. "You're not gonna sleep all day, are you?"  
  
"What else am I gonna do?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, Jess, How about... get your ass downstairs and work?"  
  
Jess tilted his head. "Work? What is this... work you speak of?"  
  
"Fine," Luke growled. "Just... Fine!"  
  
"If it's that bad this month, I can pick you up some Midol," Jess offered. "Or did you just run out of tampons?"  
  
Luke gave a harsh glare and stormed out, slamming the door behind them.  
  
Jess shrugged, and went back to sleep.  
  
*****  
  
Rory walked into the diner that evening and sat across from Luke at the counter. She stared at him intently as he wiped the counter with a bleach rag. He stopped and stared back. "What?"  
  
"Can I ask you to do me a favor?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Will you lecture me?"  
  
Luke blinked, obviously confused. "What?"  
  
"Oh! And... and you should threaten my life, too."  
  
Luke shook his head. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Uh... okay."  
  
"What would you do to me if I hurt Jess?"  
  
Luke stared. "You wouldn't hurt Jess."  
  
"How do you know?" Rory asked. "How do you know I won't become some... scarlet woman, and-"  
  
"Scarlet woman?"  
  
"Just... go with me on this," Rory pleaded. "What if I really hurt Jess? What would you do?"  
  
"Uh... nothing."  
  
Rory stared, shocked. "Nothing?"  
  
"He doesn't need me to defend him," Luke told her.  
  
"What if he hurt me?"  
  
"I'd beat him with a metal spatula."  
  
"See?" Rory asked. "That's not fair! You'd hurt him but not me."  
  
Luke gave her another bewildered look. "Why is this a bad thing?"  
  
"Because! What if I hurt him and the entire thing goes completely unnoticed and unpunished?!" Rory looked slightly on the hysterical side. "What if... he's hurting because I hurt him, and nobody cares?! That'd be awful!"  
  
"Rory-"  
  
"And it'd be my fault! Oh, god! I'm a horrible girlfriend. I don't deserve him. I'm despicable!"  
  
Luke took her by the shoulders. "Rory!"  
  
She stopped and stared at him.  
  
"You haven't hurt Jess. He's upstairs. Asleep." He blinked. "When he should be down here working. Lazy brat. JESS!!"  
  
A moment later, Jess stumbled down the stairs, looking groggy.  
  
Rory saw him, and didn't think, for once in her life. She launched herself at him and kissed him deeply in the middle of the diner. The inhabitants that morning stared, fairly shocked, and when Rory let go of a very stunned Jess (who was wide awake all of the sudden), she looked around, and turned bright red.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Good morning," Jess said pleasantly.  
  
Rory was still looking around. Dean and Lindsey were sitting at a table, and Dean was glaring harshly at Jess.  
  
"I... I have... Bye!" Rory rushed out.  
  
Jess was smirking when Rory zoomed out the door, right past her mother who was walking in.  
  
Lorelei surveyed the scene. Luke was standing behind the counter, looking confused. Jess was standing in the middle of the diner with a huge grin on his face, and Dean was glaring at Jess from his seat across from Lindsey.  
  
Lorelei pouted. "I miss all the good stuff!"  
  
****  
  
"Right in the middle of the diner?!"  
  
Rory nodded into the phone. "I can't believe I did that... Luke... Ms. Patty... Kurt... Dean... there were so many people in there!"  
  
"It's not like no one knows you guys are dating," Lane reasoned. "You're bound to kiss."  
  
"I threw myself at him. He was coming down the stairs, he'd been asleep. And I threw myself at him!"  
  
"Rory, calm down," Lane said soothingly. "It's fine... wait... did you say Dean was there?"  
  
Rory's eyes widened. "Uh-oh..."  
  
*****  
  
Jess was taking a cigarette break when Dean walked out without Lindsay.  
  
"Good. You're alone."  
  
Jess grabbed the taller boy by the shirt and slammed him against a wall away from prying eyes.  
  
"What the hell, Mariano!"  
  
"I've got a bone to pick with you," Jess replied calmly.  
  
Dean tried to move, but Jess held him in place. "Get off!"  
  
"No, no. Just wait."  
  
Dean glared.  
  
"You made Rory cry."  
  
Dean's glare turned to a stare that didn't meet Jess's eyes.  
  
"You ever... ever... make her cry again, and I will make sure that you never... ever... walk again. Is that plain enough for you, Bagboy?"  
  
Dean finally broke free of Jess's grip and shoved him.  
  
Jess didn't retaliate. He only pulled out a cigarette and lit it.  
  
Dean stormed off when he saw Lindsay walk out of the diner. 


	22. A Little Too Much Like Taylor

A/N: Okay, so I kind of lied. Well, not really. My computer is messed up. I don't know when it will be fixed. Blah. Until it is fixed, I am using my parents' comp. Woo.  
  
"Rory? What is this... thing?"  
  
Rory looked over at Paris as she unpacked her bag from spring break. Paris was holding up the little black teddy bear that Rory had placed on her bed.  
  
"Oh, that's Hephaestus," Rory told her roommate. "He lives here, too now."  
  
Paris wrinkled her nose and set the bear down. "He's awful-looking."  
  
Rory sighed and walked over to pick up the stuffed animal. "Well, he's been through a lot. He's probably traveled all over the place in suitcases, and he recently had a few adventures on a hospital room floor, but he's really cute." She held him out to Paris. "And he likes you."  
  
"No, he doesn't," Paris replied. "He's judging me."  
  
Rory shook her head and set Hephaestus down on her pillow. "He doesn't judge. He's a very fair and trust-worthy little guy."  
  
"Where did you get him? The side of the road?"  
  
"No. He was Jess's."  
  
"There's a difference?"  
  
Rory gasped slightly and picked the bear back up to give it a comforting hug. "You've hurt his feelings. How could you?"  
  
"Rory, it's just a bear."  
  
"Don't listen to her, 'Phaestus," Rory said to the plush toy in her arms. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."  
  
*****  
  
"Luke! Get a grip!"  
  
"You're supposed to use the coasters, Jess!" Luke yelled. "That's what they're there for!"  
  
"It's just a coaster!" Jess snarled. "Why are you here anyway? Don't you have a wife to get back to or something?!"  
  
Luke didn't reply. He only stared.  
  
"What?" Jess asked his voice back to a normal decibel. "What?"  
  
Luke stormed out.  
  
Jess clenched his jaw. "OH LOOK AT ME!" he yelled. "I'M PUTTING MY DRINK ON THE COFFEE TABLE WITHOUT A COASTER! I THINK I'LL DO A DANCE! AROUND THE GLASS! THAT'S SITTING ON THE COFFEE TABLE! WITH NO COASTER!"  
  
Luke rushed back in. "What is your problem?!"  
  
"My problem?!" Jess asked, his voice almost cracking from all of his yelling. "My problem?! What's your problem?! Since when do you have a coaster fetish?!"  
  
"I don't have a coaster fetish!"  
  
Jess set his glass on the coffee table without a coaster.  
  
"WILL YOU STOP THAT?!"  
  
"See?! Coaster fetish! What is wrong with you these days?!" Jess asked. "Ever since I got back from New York you've been jumping out of your skin!"  
  
"I have not!"  
  
Jess picked up his glass, and then set it back down on the coffee table.  
  
"JESS!"  
  
"What's wrong?!"  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
"This is not nothing! You're a freak! I know you're a freak because you've lived here forever! But you're acting like an even bigger freak than usual! You're acting like Taylor!"  
  
This shut Luke up.  
  
Jess sighed. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"Because whatever it is, you're taking it out on me," Jess growled. "Now what's wrong?"  
  
Luke stayed silent.  
  
Jess lifted his glass again.  
  
"Nicole is divorcing me, okay?!" Luke yelled. "Happy?!"  
  
Jess stared.  
  
"Get downstairs," Luke snapped. "You're shift starts now."  
  
For once he didn't argue. He just nodded and walked down to the diner.  
  
******  
  
Lorelei watched a very startled Jess storm into the diner and immediately start to cleaning something.  
  
"Jess, you're scaring me," she joked. "In such a hurry to get to work. Next thing I know you're gonna start smiling." She gave an overdramatic shudder.  
  
"Did you know?" Jess asked.  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"That Luke and Nicole are...Not Luke and Nicole anymore?"  
  
"Uh... yeah," Lorelei replied.  
  
"And that means Rory knows," Jess nodded. "Huh."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nobody told me," Jess snapped. "I just had a ten minute blow-up with him about coasters. Coasters, Lorelei. Coasters." He wiped the counter more diligently. "Because nobody could be bothered to tell me that Luke and Nicole are no longer Luke and Nicole!"  
  
"You didn't ask," Lorelei pointed.  
  
Jess gave her a stare and threw down his cleaning. "I'm going on my break."  
  
She gave him a bewildered look. "You just started your shift!"  
  
He wasn't listening. He stormed out the door.  
  
******  
  
Rory's cell phone rang while she was in the bathroom, and Paris sighed and answered it. "Hello?"  
  
The voice on the other end seemed a bit bewildered. "Paris?"  
  
"Hello, Heathen-Boy."  
  
"Where's Rory?"  
  
"Lavatory," Paris replied. "You're just going to have to wait."  
  
"Dammit," Jess's voice snapped.  
  
"What's your problem?"  
  
"None of your business," he replied. "How's the boyfriend?"  
  
She glared at the bear on the bed. "Fine. Would you like to know how your teddy bear is?"  
  
"I despise you."  
  
Rory walked out of the bathroom, and tilted her head at Paris.  
  
"Well, I'm glad because the feeling is mutual," Paris said into the phone. "Personally, I don't know how Rory can stand you."  
  
Rory walked over and plucked the phone out of Paris's hand. "Hi, Jess."  
  
"Oh, thank god," they both said at the same time.  
  
Rory smiled. "What's up?"  
  
"You knew that Luke and Nicole are getting divorced," Jess said.  
  
"Well... yeah," Rory replied sitting on her bed. "You didn't?"  
  
"No," Jess replied. "No one told me."  
  
"Oh, no. Why not?" Rory asked. "I figured he'd tell you first."  
  
"I had to annoy him to the point where he'd tell me," Jess told her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she replied. "If I'd known you didn't know I would have told you."  
  
He sighed. "Yeah."  
  
"He's that bad, huh?"  
  
"Worse than I've ever seen him," Jess replied. "Since when does he blow up about coasters?"  
  
"Coasters?"  
  
"Coasters."  
  
"Wow. Coasters. That's so... not Luke."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Jess sighed. "I'm gonna move out."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"I don't know," Jess replied. "But if he's gonna be living there full- time I can't be there. We drive each other up the wall. Especially now with this whole divorce thing."  
  
Rory sighed. She knew he'd wanted to leave Stars Hollow. He'd never really intended to stay, but she enjoyed the security of having him there. "Well... so..."  
  
"I'm gonna start apartment hunting," Jess told her. "With the insurance money leftover from my crash, it should be enough to get me started."  
  
"Yeah," Rory nodded. "It's not gonna be in Stars Hollow, is it?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"It's okay," Rory said, a little nervous. "I just... don't go too far."  
  
He sighed. "I know. I'll look for something close. Maybe near Yale?"  
  
She smiled. "I could help you hunt?"  
  
She could hear him smirk.  
  
******  
  
"Where the hell is Jess?!"  
  
"Breaking," Lorelei replied.  
  
"Breaking? Breaking?!" Luke paced around slightly. "He just started his shift!"  
  
"Is it true about the coasters?"  
  
"I don't wanna talk about the coasters."  
  
Lorelei frowned at him. "Why didn't you tell Jess about you and Nicole?"  
  
Luke sighed. "I don't know... I didn't wanna talk about it."  
  
"But you guys splitting up means that you're going to be living here fulltime now," Lorelei pointed out. "And Jess lives here fulltime."  
  
Luke blinked. "You're pleading a Jess case."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're sympathizing with Jess," Luke accused.  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"You like Jess," Luke said. "I don't believe it. The day of reckoning has arrived. You actually like Jess."  
  
"I don't! Stop it!"  
  
"You do! You think he's a decent kid, and you like him!"  
  
"Never."  
  
"You let Rory go to New York with him."  
  
"She's eighteen!"  
  
"You let him borrow your cell phone when he was in the hospital."  
  
"How wouldn't shut up!"  
  
"You messed with his hair a few weeks ago."  
  
She glared. 


	23. Showdown

A/N: This got kind of long. Sorry.  
  
"Have you told Luke yet?"  
  
He didn't reply, only kept flipping through his Whitman paperback.  
  
"I'm taking that as a big fat no."  
  
He sighed and turned to her.  
  
Rory shrugged. "You already rented the apartment. You're gonna be moving in soon. Don't you think it's time you told him?"  
  
He shrugged back and went back to reading.  
  
She snatched the book out of his hands and he turned his masterful glare on her.  
  
"Give it."  
  
"Tell him."  
  
"Give me my book back, Rory. Now."  
  
"Not until you go downstairs, and tell him."  
  
She loved her weekends in Stars Hollow. Even dinner at her grandparents' house had been strangely on the pleasant side. She and her mother would eat together and watch movie, and she'd go and visit the Dragonfly, and see how things were coming along. She got to see Lane, and they traded new musical findings and gossip. And she got to see Jess.  
  
Jess.  
  
He was scowling at her, wanting his book back, and she was loving every minute of it.  
  
"No," he told her. "I want it back. I was reading that."  
  
She let out a giggle, and got up off of the couch in the apartment above the diner and backed away, still holding the book.  
  
He got up slowly, and took a few steps toward her, but she ran. He gave chase and she zoomed into his bedroom. He managed to trip on a small stack of books on the floor and go sprawling into her. She cried out and turned around to catch him, forgetting that he was heavy. She went sprawling onto the bed with her arms around him, and his head buried in her neck.  
  
She blinked. "This is not where I expected to end up."  
  
He didn't reply, and made no move to get up.  
  
"Jess?" It scared her a little. Had she hurt him? She never could tell whether he was fully healed from his accident or not, despite the fact that it had been a month and half now.  
  
His only response was to kiss her neck lightly, and she shivered a little, but made no attempt to stop him.  
  
He pulled himself up to look at her for a moment before kissing her. First softly, but becoming more passionate as the kiss progressed. She pulled him closer and kissed him deeper, before pulling away a little.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He shook his head and bent his head down for another kiss, which she cut short. "Jess."  
  
He looked down at her.  
  
"I..." she turned a little red and looked away from him.  
  
He nodded and rolled off of her to lie next to her.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He shook his head. "No. Nothing to be sorry about." He wasn't going to make this mistake again. No matter how off he was feeling. He couldn't drive her away like he did before. It seemed like a lifetime ago.  
  
She nodded. It wasn't that she didn't want him. She just wanted to be ready to want him. She turned to him. "You've been quiet today."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
He shook his head again.  
  
She sighed. "Are you lying?"  
  
He made no movement.  
  
She stared.  
  
That stare. He caved in a little. "I've been thinking," he told her plainly. "I don't have a lot to say today, I guess."  
  
She nodded. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"Life, the universe, and everything," he told her.  
  
She smiled. "Douglas Adams."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
"I'm serious, though. What's going on in that brain?"  
  
He shrugged again.  
  
All she could do was stare at him.  
  
Until the phone rang.  
  
Jess sighed and got up to get it. "Hello?"  
  
"Jess, put Rory on."  
  
"Lane?"  
  
"Rory. Now."  
  
Jess raised an eyebrow. "How did you know she's-"  
  
"I have my ways!" Lane snapped. "Do not question my methods. Now please put Rory on."  
  
Jess went back to lie in his spot next to Rory and handed her the phone.  
  
She sat up as she took it from him. "Lane?"  
  
"Guess who's back."  
  
Rory blinked as she gently began scratching Jess's stomach. "Slim Shady."  
  
"Taller and brunette. And Dave."  
  
Rory's eyes widened. "No way."  
  
"Way!" Lane cried. "I just talked to him! And guess what else?"  
  
"I give up," Rory replied, hearing a sleepy sigh from Jess as she kept scratching his tummy.  
  
"He hates California. He's transferring."  
  
"Wow, where to?"  
  
"Here! In Connecticut!"  
  
"That's great!" Rory smiled, and then she began to get a little excited. "Oh! Oh! We can double date and... and be a quartet of dating people!"  
  
"I know!" Lane squeaked. "Why aren't I hearing any objections from Jess?"  
  
"He's half-asleep," Rory replied. "He's been really quiet and acting weird all morning. He says nothing's wrong, but I don't know." She looked down at Jess, whose eyes were closed.  
  
"Maybe he's just tired," Lane reasoned. "You did say Luke's been working him like a dog since he and Nicole divorced."  
  
Rory shrugged. "Maybe that's it."  
  
"Well... I'm supposed to meet Dave for lunch... I'M MEETING DAVE FOR LUNCH!"  
  
Jess's eyes opened slightly and squinted, and Rory shushed her best friend. "Do you mind? I have a very sleepy boyfriend, here."  
  
"Sorry," Lane replied, much quieter this time. "I gotta go."  
  
"Gimme a call later," Rory said with a smile.  
  
"Definitely."  
  
As soon as Rory hung up the phone, it rang once more. She picked it up before it could wake Jess, whose eyes had closed all the way again. "Hello?"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hi, Gloria," Rory replied. "What's up?"  
  
"Jess there?"  
  
"Sleeping."  
  
"Already?" the New Yorker asked. "Jesus. He normally doesn't pass out till three."  
  
"Something tells me you know why he's acting so weird today," Rory said, glancing back down at Jess.  
  
"Not me," Gloria told her. "All I know issat he acts weird every year around this time. Gramma knows but she won't tell me."  
  
"Think I got a shot?" Rory asked.  
  
"You are the girlfriend," Gloria snickered. "Ya just might. Hold on."  
  
A moment later, an older woman's voice sounded through the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Sofia."  
  
The woman's voice became delighted. "Rory! How are you?"  
  
"Good," she replied. "Jess though. I don't know."  
  
"Hmm," Sofia mused darkly. "I do."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, I do," Sofia said. "But it isn't my place to tell. Ask him."  
  
"He's asleep," Rory replied.  
  
"Well, then wake him up."  
  
"But he's so cute," Rory argued. She looked down at Jess, who was still out like a light. He really was cute. She smiled a little. 'My Jess is cute,' she thought.  
  
"He hasn't been cute since he was seven," Sofia replied firmly. "I have lunch going. Talk to Gloria."  
  
Rory sighed.  
  
"Nothing, huh?" Gloria asked.  
  
"Nope. Don't know how I'm gonna drag it out of him."  
  
"Well, maybe he'll open up by himself."  
  
"That was the worst joke ever."  
  
"Sorry," Gloria smirked. "Sick sense of humor. Hey, what're you doing today?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "Was gonna spend time with Jess, but..."  
  
"Wanna hang out?" Gloria offered. "I could hop a bus over there."  
  
"Yeah, that'd be coo- wait. You sure you can handle Stars Hollow?"  
  
She heard Gloria snort. "I'm not that much like Jess."  
  
Rory smiled.  
  
******  
  
Gloria walked into the small diner that Rory had told her to meet her at two hours later. The moment she walked in, all attention was on her. Conversations stopped, and everyone stared.  
  
Well, that was off-putting.  
  
"Hey!" she snapped in her thick accent. "What're you lookin' at?"  
  
When no one replied, she shrugged and took a seat at the counter.  
  
Luke saw her and sighed. "What can I get you?"  
  
"I'm lookin' for Rory Gilmore," Gloria told him. "Know her? Seen her?"  
  
"I do. I have." Luke raised an eyebrow. "Who're you?"  
  
She held out a hand. "Gloria Mariano."  
  
The entire diner stopped dead once again.  
  
"Aw, god," Luke groaned. He turned to the doorway leading up to the apartments. "RORY!! JESS!"  
  
No answer.  
  
Luke stormed up the stairs, into the apartment, and into Jess's room, where the couple looked as if they were trying to lick the back of each other's throats. He turned quickly. "My eyes! I'm blind!"  
  
Rory let go of Jess and got to her feet. "Uh... Hi... Luke... uh... sorry..."  
  
"You should be!" Luke cried. "Do you two mind?!"  
  
"It's not like we didn't have a room," Jess snapped. "You just walked into it."  
  
Luke still didn't turn around. "Jess, your cousin is downstairs, asking for Rory."  
  
Jess raised an eyebrow and turned to Rory.  
  
"You were asleep," Rory told him. "She wanted to hang out."  
  
He nodded and just stood there.  
  
"Jess, What's wrong?"  
  
"I already told you that nothing is wrong," he snapped. "Stop asking, because you're just going to get the same answer."  
  
Rory stared, looking kind of hurt, as Jess pushed past Luke and stormed out and down the stairs. He couldn't deal with any of this today. Today of all days. He couldn't really blame them, as much as he wanted to. They didn't know.  
  
He saw Gloria and she smiled.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He didn't reply. He only kept on storming. He stormed right out the door.  
  
Gloria watched him and rolled her eyes. "Dickhead."  
  
Rory slowly walked down into the diner and sat next to Gloria. She looked kind of numb.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Rory nodded. "He's mad."  
  
The other girl sighed. "He'll get over it. Chances are he'll apologize, too."  
  
Rory shrugged.  
  
Luke walked down and gave a sympathetic look to Rory. "Coffee?"  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
*****  
  
Jess really wished it were raining. But it was clear and sunny in Stars Hollow.  
  
He couldn't wait to leave.  
  
He knew he'd been acting strangely all day. It wasn't Rory's fault. He'd pick up a peace offering somewhere along his walk (most likely at the book store) and apologize to her before the day was through. It was, after all, only around one in the afternoon. He did feel genuinely bad for lashing out at her. All she'd done was care. It was something he still found hard to get used to.  
  
"Hey, stranger."  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks at that voice. "You have got to be kidding me."  
  
"No joke. Wanna have a look?"  
  
"No, I really don't, Leslie. Go home."  
  
"But I came to see you."  
  
"Well, you seen me," he told her, still not turning around. "Now go home."  
  
"Is that any way to treat an old friend?"  
  
He finally turned around, and glared at her. "We're not friends. And we're never going to be friends. Not after all the shit you pulled."  
  
She smiled. "Stop pretending like you didn't like it."  
  
"Huh," Jess growled out. "Lemme think. Did I like being cheated on? No. Did I like getting stabbed with a kitchen knife? Fuck, no. Did I like it that you pushed me into getting high? Double fuck, no. Now go home."  
  
"The kitchen knife was an accident," Leslie sneered. "You know that. And I never pushed you into anything."  
  
"Like hell you didn't!" Jess yelled. "How did you get here, anyways?"  
  
"I followed Gloria on the bus," the redhead replied simply.  
  
Jess gave her a bewildered look. "You psycho! What's wrong with you?!"  
  
By this time, people had stopped to stare, including Lorelei and Sookie.  
  
"Danger, Will Robinson," Sookie said quietly to Lorelei. "I smell unwelcome ex-girlfriend."  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
Leslie just stood there staring.  
  
"We're finished here," Jess told her, pointing a finger. "We're finished for good. Go home. I don't ever wanna see you again."  
  
"Why, because you're with Little Miss Innocence now?" Leslie scoffed.  
  
Jess's look became even angrier. "You leave her out of this."  
  
"Who do you think you're kidding, Jess?" Leslie laughed.  
  
Jess walked off.  
  
Leslie walked after him. "Don't walk away from me!"  
  
"I walked away from you three years ago!" Jess cried, spinning to face her again.  
  
By this time, Luke, Rory and Gloria had walked out of the diner to see what all of the yelling was.  
  
"I loved you!" Leslie yelled.  
  
"Bull shit!" Jess raged back. "Leave! Go home!"  
  
Gloria shook her head from next to Rory. "I can't believe her. What's she doing here?"  
  
Leslie took a step toward Jess, and he stepped back, giving her a warning look.  
  
Rory didn't know what she was doing, but she couldn't just stand back and watch. She began to walk forward.  
  
Luke stared at her in shock. "Rory?"  
  
Lorelei spotted Rory. "What is she doing?"  
  
Rory walked over and stood in front of Jess, who was all of the sudden, very bewildered.  
  
"Hi," Rory said to Leslie. "Is there a problem?"  
  
"Yeah, and you're it," Leslie snapped. "Move. We were talking."  
  
Jess tried to step around Rory, but she stopped him with a gentle hand, and then turned back to Leslie. "Honestly, I don't think he wants to talk anymore. Or didn't you notice that he was yelling the words 'go home'?"  
  
Jess tilted his head and stared at Rory's back. She was sticking up for him? After the way he'd treated her?  
  
"You have no idea what he wants," Leslie said with a glare. "Now move, before I make you."  
  
Again, Jess tried to move forward. No way would he let Leslie lay a finger on Rory. She stopped him again, putting her hand to his shoulder.  
  
"Leslie," Rory went on. "I don't wanna fight you."  
  
"Because you know I'll win," the other girl said in a superior tone.  
  
"Well... yeah," Rory nodded in agreement. "That and... if that happened, I'm pretty sure that Jess, my mom, Luke, Sookie, Gloria, and some other people who are watching right now would kill you. Dead. A lot."  
  
Leslie just stared, completely bewildered.  
  
"I have a posse."  
  
It was all Jess could do to not burst into uncontrollable laughter. Rory Gilmore had said the word "posse" to his drug-addicted skank of an ex- girlfriend. He could see Gloria put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep her giggles quiet.  
  
"Please leave," Rory said politely with her head held high.  
  
*****  
  
"You said posse," Jess repeated as he pushed another mug-full of coffee towards Rory.  
  
It was far past nightfall in the closed diner, and Gloria and Leslie had both taken a bus back to New York. Gloria had hugged Rory and Jess profusely before leaving, promising to tell his friends back in the city about the day.  
  
"How many times are you going to point that out?" Rory asked, taking a sip from her mug.  
  
"As many times as it takes for me to believe it," he told her, leaning over the counter to get a little closer. He cleared his throat a little. "Listen... about earlier... I'm... I'm sorry."  
  
She smiled at him. "Apology accepted."  
  
He nodded. "And... thank you for..." he didn't finish. He didn't want to admit to being saved from one girl by another.  
  
Her smile widened and she kissed his cheek. "You tell Luke yet?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Tell me what?" Luke asked as he walked into the door, carrying a few boxes.  
  
Rory glanced at Jess, who was looking at Luke.  
  
"What's in the boxes?"  
  
"Late Shipment," Luke replied. "Tell me what?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Need help unloading?"  
  
Luke looked at him with slight shock. "You're offering?"  
  
"Uh... Yeah. I got something to tell you..." 


	24. Good Luck Movin' Up Cause I'm Movin Out

He walked into the small bookshop just outside of New Haven and looked around. It was like something out of a movie. The walls were lined in books, both old and new. And there were stacks upon stacks lying in corners, uncategorized.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
Jess looked up from the hardback novel he'd been examining. The old man in front of him didn't look old. He looked ancient. He was shorter than Jess, and skinny, with thinning gray hair. His glasses were perched on his hooked nose. He looked cranky. Like a look from him could send most customers running.  
  
Jess smirked, confident that he could match the old coot glare for glare.  
  
"Can I help you, Son?" the old man asked again.  
  
"Yeah," Jess replied, holding up a newspaper clipping. "I'm here to apply for the job."  
  
The old man studied him serious, and walked a little closer. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "What do you know about books, young man?"  
  
Jess grinned.  
  
******  
  
"Wow, I can't believe he's moving out," Lorelei said, taking a sip of coffee.  
  
Luke sighed. "Well, it had to happen eventually."  
  
"You gonna miss him?"  
  
"No," Luke snapped.  
  
He was going to miss him. And he would never admit to anyone, but he was. The banter, the arguing, even the silence was alright with him. But it was nice to have Jess around, no matter how much trouble he was.  
  
Lorelei watched Luke as he wiped the counter. He lied, and she knew it. He would miss Jess. They'd grown a little closer since Jess had moved back, even if Luke had been living with Nicole for the majority of that time.  
  
She kept watching Luke, and it came across her mind for the first time that he had really nice eyes.  
  
Her cell phone rang, and Luke's head snapped up at her and glared.  
  
She rolled her eyes and walked out of the diner to answer her cell phone. "Hello? Hi, Jason..."  
  
*****  
  
"Wow, you really don't have that much stuff, do you?" Rory asked, as she helped Jess pack that weekend.  
  
He shrugged as he organized a box to fix more things. "Just books, mostly."  
  
She nodded absently as she flipped through the pages of a Ginsburg of his. A couple of old-looking photographs fell out. She scooped them up with interest and tilted her head as she studied them.  
  
One was of Jess and a girl who looked to be Gloria, probably around age seven, and the other was an old wedding photo.  
  
"Hey, Jess?"  
  
He looked at her from the full box he was taping up.  
  
"Who are they?" She held out the picture to him, and he took it from her gently and stared for a long time.  
  
She watched as his features stared blankly, numbly down at the picture. "It's my grandparents on their wedding day. Sofia and Frankie." He handed the picture back to her, and she looked back down at it.  
  
"I've never met your grandfather."  
  
"That's because he's dead," Jess told her, as he shoved some of his clothes from the closet into a large duffle bag. "Passed away around this time the year before we met."  
  
Rory looked back at him from the picture, and it clicked. Why he'd been acting so strangely. "Were you close?"  
  
He shrugged. "He used to take me to baseball games."  
  
"I didn't know you liked baseball," she smiled.  
  
"I don't. He did." Jess zipped up the bag when it was full. "I went to hear him scream inventive insults at the umpires."  
  
Rory laughed a little and kept placing books into a box.  
  
"He would have liked you," Jess told her absently, sitting up against a wall.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded. "He's the reason I read so much. Most of these books were his."  
  
"Do you miss him?"  
  
He gave her a nod.  
  
She crawled over to sit next to him, and she was surprised when he dropped his head to rest on her shoulder, his eyes staring off at nothing. She buried her face in his soft hair and kissed the top of his head.  
  
*****  
  
"Rory! What a pleasant surprise!" Richard smiled at his only granddaughter. "Do come in."  
  
Rory smiled and stepped into his study after their maid of the month had let her in the front door. "I hope this isn't a bad time."  
  
"Oh, of course not," he told her. "Have a seat. What brings you here in the middle of the week?"  
  
She shrugged as she pulled up a chair to sit across from him at his desk. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to visit. See how you're doing."  
  
In truth, hearing Jess speak of his deceased grandfather over the weekend had made her realize how lucky she was to still have hers. She really didn't know him very well, but she thought that maybe it was time to start.  
  
Richard smiled. "How is school?"  
  
"School's good," she told him. "Great, actually. I'm really enjoying it."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that. How is your mother?"  
  
"She's fine," Rory replied. "The inn is coming along really nicely now. They're gonna be open before you know it."  
  
Richard smiled. He was pleased that Lorelei had come so far after everything that had happened. "And how is Jess?"  
  
"Jess is good." She couldn't help smiling, thinking about him. "He's actually getting his own apartment, just outside of New Haven, and he's been job hunting up there, and I've been helping him pack."  
  
"That's wonderful that he's becoming so independent," Richard said. "You know, I found a couple of books that I glanced over and they made me think of the two of you." He got up from his plush chair and began skimming his shelves. "Let me see if I can find them for you."  
  
Rory smiled, and got up to help him look.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey, Jess."  
  
"Lorelei," Jess greeted as he pulled out his pad and pencil. "Anything besides coffee today?"  
  
"A word with you?"  
  
He glanced down at her with a raised eyebrow. "If Luke mentioned anything about a couple of weekends ago about Rory and me nothing happened. I-"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa there," Lorelei halted him. "First of all, not what I was gonna ask about. Second of all, if something had happened, you'd better believe I would know about it already. And depending on the circumstances, you'd be dead already. Sit."  
  
He slowly, cautiously sat across from her. "What?"  
  
"It's about you moving."  
  
"Throwing a going away party?"  
  
She smirked. "You wish. It's about Luke."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He's going to miss you."  
  
Jess snorted out a laugh. "Good joke, Lorelei. Seriously." He picked up his pad and pencil again. "What do you want to eat?"  
  
"I want you to come back on weekends and help out here."  
  
"That's not edible."  
  
"And not just for Luke," Lorelei went on. "Rory shouldn't have to be divided and feel guilty about spending weekends here or with you. It would just be easier."  
  
"I got a new job, Lorelei," Jess told her quietly.  
  
She blinked in shock. "Already?"  
  
"I gotta eat, don't I?"  
  
"But you can get weekends off, right?"  
  
Jess sighed. "I don't know."  
  
"Just... think about it, okay?" Lorelei asked. "Please?"  
  
Jess nodded and got up. "Can I please just take your order now?"  
  
*****  
  
"Can I open my eyes now?"  
  
He was walking backwards into the small bookshop that was his new place of work, holding onto her hands, leading her in while her eyes were closed. He walked her to stand in the middle of the store, and smirked. "Open up."  
  
She opened her eyes and smiled at him, and then looked around. "Wow... wow. This place is... wow. Where are we?"  
  
"Connor's Books."  
  
"Okay... it's... it's great," Rory wandered over to shelf and began glancing at the tittles. "Really, really great... but why is it such a surprise?"  
  
Jess was about to answer, but he glanced over to the front counter where someone was waiting to be rung up. He held up a finger, and walked over to the counter. He began working the register, and Rory watched him with a wide smile.  
  
******  
  
Luke helped his nephew load boxes into his car. "So, this is it, huh?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Pretty much."  
  
"Hey, y'know..." Luke started in an uncomfortable tone. "You uh... you're welcome here... as long as you don't... piss me off or anything."  
  
Jess nodded. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
When they finished loading the car, they stood in silence, facing each other.  
  
"Don't look so sad," Jess teased.  
  
"Believe me, I am far from sad," Luke replied snidely. "I'm celebrating with champagne and cigars when you leave."  
  
"Damn it. You've had cigars, and you didn't tell me?"  
  
Luke smirked and swatted Jess's head playfully. "Get outta here."  
  
Jess nodded, and opened up the driver's side door.  
  
"Hey, call me when you get there, alright?"  
  
He nodded. "Hey, Luke?"  
  
Luke looked over at him.  
  
"Uh... thanks," Jess went on uneasily. "And uh... don't make love to any over your coasters."  
  
"Leave before I break your legs."  
  
Jess gave him one last smirk, before hopping in the car, pumping up the sound system, and driving off.  
  
Luke sighed and watched. 


	25. Blind! Bliiind!

She knocked on the door of the apartment, and checked the address and room number she'd written down, making sure one last time that it was the right one. It would by quite embarrassing to show up at a stranger's door, holding a potted plant and a teddy bear.  
  
The door opened and Jess was smirking in front of her. "Hi."  
  
"Hey," Rory smiled. She held out the plant to him. "Happy housewarming."  
  
He took the plant and looked at it. "Thanks. I don't know how long it will last with me as its caretaker, but thanks."  
  
She smiled, and he stepped aside to let her in. She looked around, and noticed that there was no furniture except for a single mattress and a television. His things were still in boxes and the walls were bare  
  
He sighed and closed the door, leaning against it. "I've been lazy."  
  
She turned to him, hugging Hephaestus to her. "Obviously. Do you need help?"  
  
He shook his head. "I'll get it done eventually." He glanced at the bear in her arms. "What's with that?"  
  
"Oh," she replied, looking down at the stuffed animal. "I thought you might want him."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Oh, come on!"  
  
"I told you to keep him."  
  
"But you've got your own place now," Rory replied. "You can hide him somewhere."  
  
He smirked. "I want you to have him."  
  
"But he misses you. And Paris hates him."  
  
"All the more reason you should keep him."  
  
She pegged him with the bear.  
  
*****  
  
"So what made you hate California?" Rory asked as they sat in the diner.  
  
Dave shrugged as he took a bite out of his burger and swallowed, seemingly without chewing. "I didn't really... okay, yeah I hated it."  
  
Rory and Jess both smirked.  
  
"It was like... everything was so fake," Dave went on. "You couldn't even go to class without feeling like you were apart of some cheesy teen comedy/drama. I couldn't really connect with anyone."  
  
Jess nodded. "It's too sunny there."  
  
"You say that about here, too," Rory pointed out.  
  
Jess shrugged. "Yeah, but I have you. You're like my own personal could-cover."  
  
"Should I take that as a complement?"  
  
"Just roll with it," Lane replied.  
  
"How long have you guys been back together?" Dave asked.  
  
"It'll be two months soon," Rory answered. She turned to Jess. "What are we doing for our two-monther?"  
  
He shrugged. "Same thing we did for our one month?"  
  
"We should do something different," Rory said. "Like bungee jump. That could be fun."  
  
Dave raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't strike me as being particularly romantic."  
  
"We'll think of something," Jess reassured.  
  
"So now that Dave's back, what's going on with the band?" Rory asked.  
  
"Well, Gil had to drop out," Lane replied. "It got too hard for him to juggle his shop, se we've got an opening."  
  
"The problem is convincing Zach and Brian," Dave added. "They're still not so happy about my leaving in the first place."  
  
"They'll get over it," Lane promised. "We missed you."  
  
Dave leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and she smiled.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "We are eating. Or didn't you notice?"  
  
"Oh, please," Lane replied. "You two are so much worse. Luke comes down from the apartment half blind sometimes because of your guys. And I heard Taylor talking about you swallowing each others' tongues near the super glue?"  
  
Rory blushed, and looked out the window absently.  
  
"That was for sentimental reasons," Jess defended.  
  
"I think he's trying to kiss me in every location Dean did," Rory explained quietly, feeling embarrassed. "It's something much akin to marking his territory."  
  
"That's disgusting," Lane replied. "Yet, kind of romantic in a sick way."  
  
Jess glared.  
  
"Alright!" Luke called on his way out of the kitchen. "Break's over. Lane, Jess, up."  
  
Lane shrugged and Jess rolled his eyes as they got up to work.  
  
Rory smiled as she watched Jess. She couldn't believe he'd agreed to come back on weekends, but he claimed that he needed the extra money.  
  
Dave smirked as he glanced at Lane. It was good to back. "So, Rory. How's Yale?"  
*****  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Mom..."  
  
"Rory, please. This is really important, I could use some back-up," Lorelei begged over the phone.  
  
Rory sighed as she unpacked her bag from her weekend trip back home. "Mom, he's Jess. And the last time he went to Friday dinner with us he became Mr. Insecurity. Or as much Mr. Insecurity as Jess can get. I don't like it when he becomes Mr. Insecurity because he hates being Mr. Insecurity. He gets fidgety and he clams up and won't admit he's Mr. Insecurity. He thinks Grandma judges him. And frankly, I wouldn't be surprised. I will come to dinner with you. Just like always, but we're leaving Jess out of it."  
  
"Rory, I am begging you," Lorelei said. "They're inviting Jason this Friday, and it'd be so much more comfortable if you brought Jess."  
  
"Why? So he can take the heat off of you?"  
  
"Yes! Exactly!" Lorelei replied. "Please?"  
  
"No. I'm not putting him through that again."  
  
"Rory, please."  
  
She didn't reply.  
  
"Are you crumbling? I think I hear you crumbling."  
  
"You owe me," Rory told her.  
  
"Oh, I so do. Thank you so much, Rory."  
  
*****  
  
She showed up at the book store the next night.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No," he replied, as he shelved books.  
  
"I know this isn't your idea of fun but-"  
  
He sighed and looked at her. "Why do you want me to go again?"  
  
"Reason one," Rory stated. "It'll make a good impression."  
  
"You already know that I don't care about impressions," he replied.  
  
"Reason two: My mother is supposed to tell them that she's dating my grandfather's partner, and he's gonna be there, and she wants you to come to-"  
  
"Take the heat off. No."  
  
"I'll owe you."  
  
He gave her a confused look. "Owe me what?"  
  
"I'll read Hemmingway."  
  
"No deal."  
  
She gave him her best smile. "Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"I said no."  
  
"Don't make me pull out the big guns, mister."  
  
"You don't have any," Jess replied, picking up another stack of books to shelve.  
  
"Oh, I don't, do I?"  
  
"Nope." He turned and began to shelve the books in his arms.  
  
She glared a little at his back, whirled him around and kissed him deeply.  
  
This, he was not expecting. Since when did she get so forward with this? Not that he didn't like it, but she'd been a lot bolder as time went on, and they were together longer. Then again, he realized, there was no one in the store to catch them. He dropped the stack of books in his arms and placed his hands on her waist.  
  
*****  
  
They stood on the front porch of the Gilmore's house. Rory was about to ring the bell when Lorelei came shooting out.  
  
"Mom, what-"  
  
"I did it. I told them."  
  
"Already?" Rory asked. She took Jess's arm and looked down at his watch. "We're only ten minutes late."  
  
"I know, but I just... blurted it out, and now the three of them are sitting there in shocked silence, and I needed air so I ran."  
  
Rory took her mother by the arm and led her into the house. Jess followed.  
  
****  
  
A few hours later, they walked out of the house.  
  
Jess sighed. "Well... the was..."  
  
"I think they took it pretty well," Rory replied. "Shocked, but well."  
  
Jess nodded. "So, you going for the weekend?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah, I promised Mom. You coming?"  
  
"Yeah, I promised Luke my weekend."  
  
She nodded again and smiled. "Why does this feel awkward?"  
  
"Probably because I'd rather be kissing you."  
  
"That can be arranged." She stepped forward and kissed him lightly, just as the door opened, and Lorelei and Jason stepped out.  
  
"Oh, god!"  
  
Rory jumped back and turned red. "Mom... Jason... hi."  
  
Jess sighed.  
  
Lorelei squeezed her eyes shut, and held onto Jason's arm. "Blind! Bliiind! Help me to the car!"  
  
Jason sighed and shrugged. "Sorry, guys."  
  
They watched the two adults make their way to the car. 


	26. Fisticuffs

A/N: I wasn't going to say anything, but this is getting kind of out of hand. No. Jess and Rory have NOT had sex yet. Will they? Possibly. But not yet. If it happens, you'll know.  
  
Jess couldn't believe he'd actually agreed to come to the town meeting that weekend. The only plus plus was the big bag of rubber bands he'd bought from Doose's. He shot off one after the other in different directions. Sometimes hitting people, sometimes not.  
  
Beside him was Luke, who was taking great pleasure at seeing the other people glare at Jess, and Rory and Lane who were trying not to laugh. Lorelei, he had learned from Rory, was on a date.  
  
"...In other business," Taylor went on. "there will be no more public displays of affections in Luke's Di- OW!"  
  
A rubber band bounced off of Taylor's head.  
  
He bristled. "Will the hoodlum-"  
  
"Thug," Luke and several other people corrected.  
  
"Thug in the back please either put the rubber bands away, or leave?"  
  
Jess moved to get up, but Luke stopped him.  
  
Jess looked down at him quizzically.  
  
"Don't go. You're my only source of entertainment."  
  
Jess nodded and aimed at Taylor again.  
  
"Try to get his nose," Lane whispered.  
  
Jess nodded, and aimed. He let it fly just as Dean got up to address a new topic. It hit him in the back of the neck, and he whirled around to glare fiery death at Jess.  
  
"Down in front, Jolly Green Giant!" Jess said. "You're blocking my target!"  
  
Dean didn't know what came over him. The smirking little punk had just snapped his last nerve. Years of hatred and resentment drove him to dive at Jess, knocking him, and a couple of chairs to the ground.  
  
"HOLY SHIT!"  
  
Rory was the first to try and pull them apart. "Dean! Stop!"  
  
Luke pushed her out of the way and dragged Dean to his feet.  
  
Lindsay rushed over. "Dean! What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
He didn't reply. He was too busy glaring at Jess, who was being helped to his feet by Lane and Rory. There was blood tricking from the shorter boy's lower lip, but Dean wasn't sure his lip had busted or he'd spit it up. And he didn't register when the two girls lost their hold on Jess, until he was slugged square in the jaw with a sickening crack.  
  
"Jess! No!" Rory cried.  
  
Dean lunged for Jess again, pulling himself away from Luke and hit him in the gut, causing him to go sailing to the ground, with more book dripping from his open mouth.  
  
Luke shoved Dean into Taylor, who'd rushed over, and grabbed Jess up. He started shoving him out the door.  
  
Rory followed, giving a frightened look back at Dean, before leaving with Lane in tow.  
  
******  
  
Lorelei's phone rang in the middle of dinner and she sighed as she answered it. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, it's Luke."  
  
"Hi! What's up?"  
  
"Jess and Dean slugged it out at the town meeting tonight."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Jess is coughing up blood, and he's having trouble breathing. I'm on my way out the door to take him to the hospital now, and Rory's coming with."  
  
"Yeah, okay," Lorelei replied. "I'll start heading up there, too."  
  
"What about your date?" Luke asked.  
  
"The fact that the kid can't breath is a little more important, Luke. I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and got to her feet. "I'm so sorry, Jason."  
  
"No, it's okay," he replied. "I'd go, but... hospitals..."  
  
"What about hospitals?"  
  
"I sneeze... it's the disinfectant."  
  
Lorelei nodded, and kissed him goodbye before walking out.  
  
******  
  
Luke sighed as he faced the doctor. "So?"  
  
"He'll be alright. A few days of bed rest should do the trick. And no more rowdy fist fights, of course."  
  
Luke nodded. "Can I see him?"  
  
The doctor gave a nod back, and Luke walked in.  
  
Jess was lying in the hospital bed, hooked up to a couple or monitors.  
  
Luke grimaced and walked over to stand beside him.  
  
"This wasn't my fault," Jess said in a horse voice, staring off at nothing in particular.  
  
Luke gripped his nephew's shoulder, trying to be comforting. "I know. The doctor says you gotta chill out for a few days."  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"They're probably gonna make you stay the night."  
  
Jess nodded again.  
  
"Rory's in the waiting room."  
  
He finally looked up at his uncle. "Yeah?"  
  
Luke nodded. "Lorelei is, too."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"You gonna be okay?" Luke asked, pulling up a chair.  
  
Jess nodded again. "Just can't believe I relapsed like this."  
  
"Well, Dean's a big guy."  
  
"I've taken him before."  
  
"Yeah, before you accident. And you got a few good hits in tonight."  
  
Jess smirked. "I did, didn't I?"  
  
"Sounded like you cracked his jaw."  
  
"Good."  
  
"You want me to call Sofia?" Luke asked. "Or Jimmy?"  
  
Jess shook his head.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei watched her daughter pace around the waiting room.  
  
"I can't believe this happened," Rory ranted. "I can't believe Dean would do this! It was a rubber band!"  
  
"On top of all of the other humiliations," Lorelei pointed out.  
  
"Don't defend him," Rory told her. "Don't defend him when Jess is here, and Dean went home tonight."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "This has been building for a while."  
  
"It shouldn't have come to this."  
  
"But it did."  
  
"It shouldn't have!"  
  
"Rory!" Lorelei cried. "You have to calm down. Pacing and freaking out about what should have happened isn't going to make Jess better any sooner. He needs you to be calm. I need you to be calm."  
  
Rory stood stalk still.  
  
"Rory, sweetie, please."  
  
"He's not allowed to leave me."  
  
Lorelei sighed and got up to walk over to her. She wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. "Jess is going to be fine."  
  
Rory nodded and hugged back.  
  
*****  
  
By the time Jess made it to his apartment the next afternoon, Rory had decorated. He didn't know how she'd done it in such a slim amount of time, but all of the sudden, he had a couch, and chairs, and a few tables.  
  
He'd been on strict orders of bed rest all week, but hadn't really slept well.  
  
He had been about to drift off into sleep on Thursday evening, but the incessant knocking on his front door made him grumble as he slowly made his way over to open it. "Coming!"  
  
When he opened it, the bespectacled girl on the other side threw her arms around him. "Jess!"  
  
He heaved a little and fought to stay on his feet. "Lily?"  
  
She let got of him and thrust a book-shaped package into his hands. "Happy birthday!"  
  
"Lily, my birthday isn't for another three days."  
  
"So? I'm here now, you might as well open it," she replied, walking into the apartment with her backpack swinging from her arm.  
  
"Do Jimmy and Sasha know you're here?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Aw, god. Lily!"  
  
"What? School let out for me yesterday!"  
  
Jess sighed and sat on the couch. He picked up the phone and dialed. "Hi! Jimmy! It's Jess. You missing something?... Think really hard... Y'know? Short? Annoying? Glasses?... Yeeeeeesss. She's standing right in front of me... I don't know how the hell she got here." He sighed. "Yeah, I'll hold onto her. Is Sasha there?... No... okay, I'll call back later I guess... Well, I don't know where I'll be this weekend... I'm not gonna get into trouble, it just depends on how much Luke needs me at the diner... She'll be fine! It's Stars Hollow for god's sake... Oh, I see. You trust me to look after her in Venice Beach, but no here... Then what are you saying? It's not like I'm a known felon... I'm not gonna let anything happen to her, she's like my sister!... You know what? Just stop. Stop acting like you know me, you don't... I am not just like you!... It's not my fault that she's here! I had no idea she was coming! I haven't spoken to her since I left!" He put a hand to his chest and attempted to breath deeply. "You know what? Just have Sasha call when she gets in, because I can't- c-can't do this with you."  
  
Lily watched as her would-be step brother's skin went a sickly white. His breathing was shaky, as was the hand that held the phone to his ear. She rushed over to him, took the phone and hung it up.  
  
"Lily! What the hell?!"  
  
"What happened to you?" she asked. "I thought you were better."  
  
"I got into a fight with a big, ugly guy," he told her. "I just got out of the hospital a few hours ago."  
  
Lily frowned. "I'll talk to Jimmy when he calls back."  
  
"If," Jess corrected.  
  
The phone rang and Lily picked it up. "Hi, Jimmy. It's Lily."  
  
Jess leaned back on the couch and sighed.  
  
*****  
  
It was raining when they pulled in front of Luke's diner the next evening.  
  
Lily hopped out and looked around. "This is it?"  
  
"Yup," Jess replied as he locked the car.  
  
"It's..."  
  
"Small?"  
  
"Understatement."  
  
Jess nodded and walked around the car to the door. "Come on, I see Rory and Lorelei in tonight."  
  
Lily nodded and followed him in. The diner was extremely crowded and looked... well, quaint was the only word that came to mind. It seemed like something out of a television show.  
  
"Have a seat," Jess said. "I'll get you some tea." He disappeared for a moment.  
  
"Thanks," Lily called, sitting next to the older of the two brunettes at the counter.  
  
Jess came back with a mug of tea that he set in front of Lily. He then went over to the brunette girl sitting on the other side of the older brunette and kissed her on the top of the head. "Hi."  
  
"Hi," the younger brunette replied. "Cheating on me?"  
  
Jess smirked. "Rory, Lorelei, this is Lily. Lily, the Gilmores."  
  
Lily smiled and waved.  
  
"What brings you to town?" Lorelei asked.  
  
"She's visiting," Jess replied.  
  
"How come you didn't tell me?" Rory asked.  
  
"Didn't know," he replied. "Did Luke get your orders already?"  
  
"Yeah," Lorelei nodded. "You sure you're up to this tonight?"  
  
"No Friday dinner?" Jess asked them, avoiding Lorelei's question.  
  
"Grandma and Grandpa had a thing," Rory told him.  
  
"Ah. Sounds important."  
  
"Always."  
  
Jess glanced at Lily. "Want food, Four-Eyes?"  
  
"Cheese fries, Holden."  
  
Rory's eyes widened. "She gets it!"  
  
Lorelei stared at Jess. "You're ignoring my question."  
  
"She gets it!" Rory repeated. She leaned over her mother to talk to Lily. "How old are you?"  
  
"Nine."  
  
"And you've read Salinger?"  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
Rory smiled. "Will you be my friend?"  
  
Lily giggled. "Okay."  
  
Jess disappeared into the kitchen again.  
  
"He ignored me," Lorelei repeated.  
  
"What else do you read?" Rory asked.  
  
"Lots of stuff," Lily replied.  
  
"What am I, invisible?" Lorelei cried. "Why is everyone ignoring me?"  
  
"Ayn Rand?"  
  
"Some," Lily nodded. "Jess got me into Hemmingway."  
  
"Evil."  
  
Jess emerged from the kitchen, and set a plait of fries down in front of Lily.  
  
"Thanks," Lily smiled, digging in.  
  
"You exposed her to Hemmingway?" Rory asked him.  
  
He shrugged as he refilled their coffee.  
  
"You're horrible."  
  
"Yeah, but you love me in spite of it," Jess replied quietly.  
  
Rory smiled.  
  
Hey!" Lorelei snapped. "Jess!"  
  
He looked up at her.  
  
"How are your guts?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Well, at least I got a straight answer," Lorelei muttered bitterly.  
  
Lane came running out of the kitchen in a huff. "Your orders will be right out, if Caesar will move his ENORMOUS BUTT!"  
  
"No rush" Rory said.  
  
"Jess! Thank go!" Lane threw her arms around him, and Jess stiffened. "I'm going crazy!"  
  
"Where's Luke?" Jess asked, prying the girl off of him, much to Lily, Lorelei and Rory's amusement.  
  
"Upstairs! Arguing with Nicole!"  
  
"Nicole?"  
  
"Nicole! I don't know what about. HE SHOULD BE DOWN HERE!"  
  
"LANE!" Jess yelled. "Calm!"  
  
She looked as thought she might cry when a few more people walked in and began the long wait for an open table.  
  
"Rory, call Dave," Jess said. "She's beyond our help."  
  
"Who's Dave?" Lily asked. "Who's Nicole?"  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "Don't worry about it."  
  
Rory held her cell out to Lane, who took it.  
  
"Dave? There are too many people here!"  
  
"I've never seen her like that," Rory said.  
  
"You're not usually here on Friday nights," Jess pointed out.  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
The front door opened again, and Dean and Lindsay walked in.  
  
Jess glared.  
  
"Who's he?" Lily whispered to Lorelei.  
  
"That's the guy that Jess got into a fight with," Lorelei whispered back.  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
"Dave?" Lane said into the phone. "I gotta go. I'll call you later." She hung up and stared with the rest.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "I'll get check on your orders," he said to Rory and Lorelei. He disappeared into the kitchen and all eyes turned to Dean, sans Rory, who refused to look.  
  
Dean sighed. "Rory? Can I talk to you outside?"  
  
Rory nodded slightly, slid her coat on and headed for the door. Dean followed.  
  
Lindsay sat down alone.  
  
Jess came out from the kitchen, and spotted Rory and Dean outside, and sighed. "I gotta use the bathroom." He climbed the stairs up to the apartment.  
  
The diner stayed silent.  
  
"Alright!" Lane cried. "Back to your food, people. Show's over."  
  
Lorelei got up, and followed Jess up the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
"About what happened..."  
  
"Don't apologize," Rory interrupted him. "It's not gonna make this better this time."  
  
"I wasn't going to," Dean replied. "I'm not sorry, Rory."  
  
"Well, you should be!" Rory cried. "You landed him in the hospital!"  
  
"He deserved it."  
  
"It was just a rubber band!"  
  
"It was so much more than that," Dean told her. "It was the fact that you picked him over me. It was all the resentment that's been building up since he got here the first time! It's everything, Rory!"  
  
"And that makes it right?"  
  
Dean fell silent, and Rory walked off.  
  
Lily exited the diner, just as Rory was walking off. She looked up at Dean, and then rushed off after Rory.  
  
*****  
  
"Jess?"  
  
No reply came as Lorelei slowly walked into the apartment. She found Jess sitting on the couch, looking tensed up. His breaths were coming out short and shaky, and she could tell he was having a hard time.  
  
With all of the craziness that had happened, between the fight last weekend, the fight with his father the night before, and now Dean showing up and Rory agreeing to talk to him alone, it wasn't doing Jess any good. It wasn't that he felt particularly upset, but the stress of it all was becoming too much.  
  
Lorelei walked over and sat next to him. "Jess?"  
  
He didn't reply, just kept trying to breathe more.  
  
"Deep breaths, Jess," Lorelei said calmly. "It's okay."  
  
He nodded and tried to breathe more slowly. 


	27. Up the Down Staircase

A/N: 1. *Pulls on cranky pants yet again* Dearest Flamer: You're obviously a Jess-hater. Now. The description of my story has the words "Jess" and "Literati" in it. This should have been your first clue not to read it, since you obviously don't like the premise and characters I'm working with. So, instead of reading my stories, and sending me a nasty piece of feedback, go read something you'll enjoy. Thanks. Don't come again.  
  
2. Dean: He's known to fly off the handle when it comes to Jess. And if you've seen the episodes with the entire Dean vs. Jess nastiness, and have been reading these chapters (Thank you for reading!), you know that this has been building for a while. You'll also note that this is not the first time Dean has initiated the fisticuffs. He threw the first punch on the show, too. He's fed up. It doesn't matter whether you like Dean or not, he's just fucking fed up with Jess. And yes, Jess is a little schmuck, but that's why I love the character. He can be such a little dickhead like you wouldn't believe. Rory knows it, but I think that's also part of his appeal to her, as well.  
  
3. Rory's reaction: I adore Rory. She's funny, and sweet, and if she were a real person, I'd wanna be her best friend. Unfortunately, in matters of the heart, she can be a little oblivious. In the show, she really doesn't seem to have any idea Dean still has feelings for her, and that applies here as well. She doesn't understand Dean, and to her, it really was just a rubber band.  
  
Onto the fic!  
  
Up the Down Staircase  
  
Luke exited his bedroom after a particularly phone fight with Nicole over their divorce papers. He wasn't expecting anyone to be in the apartment, but he was wrong.  
  
Lorelei was sitting on the couch, speaking calm words to Jess as he took deep, shaky breaths. He looked as if he were about to be sick, or fall asleep, or both.  
  
It was so surreal. Like something out of a different dimension. The alarmed look on Jess's face, and the worried stare from Lorelei. She really was starting to like Jess. The Armageddon cometh.  
  
He walked over to the couch and sat on Jess's other side. "What happened?"  
  
"Dean walked in," Lorelei replied. "He and Rory are... or... were probably, knowing her, talking outside."  
  
Luke nodded and turned to Jess. "You okay? You need to go to the hospital?"  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Jess, you should lay down," Lorelei said gently.  
  
He shook his head again. "I'm fine."  
  
Luke and Lorelei gave each other a glance.  
  
"Jess, come on," Luke said.  
  
"I said I'm fine," Jess snapped, trying to be a little louder as he got to his feet.  
  
Luke began to get a little mad. "You can't go around like-"  
  
"Like what?" Jess growled. "I said I'm fine, what more do you want outta me?"  
  
Lorelei watched them and sighed, thankful that she and Rory rarely had fights like these.  
  
"I want you to take it easy!" Luke yelled fully. "Because you're not fine and your tough-guy act isn't fooling anyone!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and headed for the door. "Screw this."  
  
*****  
  
Lily had followed Rory to the bridge in the park, and sat down next to her. The rain was still coming down steadily, but it wasn't harsh enough to pose a problem.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Rory asked calmly.  
  
Lily was surprised that the older girl wasn't crying. She looked like she should be.  
  
She sat down next to Rory.  
  
"Hey, Lily," Rory replied. "How come you've been following me?"  
  
"You knew?"  
  
Rory nodded. "You're not very stealthy."  
  
Lily smirked. She liked this girl. "What happened between Jess and that guy?"  
  
"They... Me... I guess," Rory replied uncomfortably. "Dean is my ex- boyfriend. He and Jess don't get along, and things got really bad last weekend."  
  
"He really hurt Jess bad, didn't he?"  
  
"It wasn't all Dean," Rory shook her head. "A lot of it was the accident... and Jess threw a few punches, too."  
  
Lily nodded. "Don't hurt Jess or I'll have to break your fingers off."  
  
Rory smiled at the girl. "You really care about him, don't you?"  
  
Lily nodded. "He helped me out over the summer," she told the older girl. "There was this bunch of bullies who always picked on me and Jess beat 'em up. And he read with me, and let me borrow a bunch of his books."  
  
"Wow," Rory said. "That was nice of him." It amazed her that Jess could be that nice.  
  
"His birthday is in a few days," Lily went on. "I got him a book."  
  
Rory blinked and stared. "His birthday... when?"  
  
"Two days from now."  
  
"He didn't tell me," Rory said, sounding slightly alarmed. "He didn't tell me. Why didn't he tell me? I have to... get him a present... and cake... and... It's in two days?"  
  
Lily laughed a little. "He doesn't like to make a big deal out of it, or that's what he says."  
  
"Well, that's tough," Rory replied indignantly. "I'm making a big deal. Two days?"  
  
Lily giggled. "He was right, you're really silly."  
  
"He talked about me?"  
  
"Sometimes," the younger girl shrugged. "He missed you."  
  
Rory nodded. "I missed him, too. I'm really happy that he's here."  
  
"He's glad to be here, believe me," Lily replied. "He hated like California. He and Jimmy fought all the time."  
  
Rory frowned. "That's rough. Hey, Lily, how come you came all the way out here? Why not just mail the present?"  
  
She shrugged again. "I was bored."  
  
Rory cracked a smile.  
  
******  
  
"Thanks for helping him, Lorelei."  
  
They were standing awkwardly in the apartment.  
  
Lorelei nodded. "He didn't look so hot. I thought I'd check on him."  
  
"Well, once again, you saved the day," Luke told her. "Thanks again."  
  
She nodded once more. "I'm gonna go downstairs and hope that my food is ready."  
  
"Okay."  
  
They stood staring at each other for a moment longer, before Lorelei finally pulled her gaze away and left.  
  
Luke picked up the phone and dialed as the door shut behind Lorelei. "Nicole? Yeah, it's me, again. Listen, I don't care anymore. Whatever it was that we had joint ownership of, just keep it. It doesn't matter." With that, he hung up the phone.  
  
*****  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Dean glanced across the table to Lindsay. "What was what?"  
  
"You and Rory outside, what was that?" she asked, putting her menu down.  
  
"It was nothing," he told her gruffly. "Just... nothing."  
  
Lindsay gave a slow nod and picked her menu back up.  
  
"You two ready?"  
  
Dean looked up and glared at Jess.  
  
Jess looked thoroughly nonplussed. "Look, I'd love to stand here and have a menacing glare contest with you all night, but I'm busy, or didn't you notice the other people at the other tables who are waiting for their orders to be taken? Now, either order, or get out."  
  
Lindsay looked from one to the other, a little shocked, and a little frightened after what had gone on between them the weekend before.  
  
Dean got to his feet and stormed to the exit.  
  
"Have a nice evening! Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!" He turned back to Lindsay, tapping his pencil on his order pad. "What'll it be?"  
  
Lindsay watched as her husband stormed off into the night. "Actually, I'm not so hungry. I'm just gonna go... thank you..." she got up and grabbed her coat, and headed out after Dean, just as Dave was walking in the door.  
  
Jess nodded to him. "Hey."  
  
"Hey, Jess," Dave replied, shaking out some of the rain from his short hair. "Is Lane still here or did she spontaneously combust?"  
  
"She's in back," Jess replied. "Have a seat, I'll get her."  
  
Dave nodded as he watched Jess walk to the kitchen door.  
  
"Hey, Lane! Your valium is here!"  
  
She came shooting out of the kitchen, and Jess rolled his eyes and went back to work.  
  
Lorelei watched him from her spot at the counter. He looked pale and a little shaky, but seemed to be doing much better than he had been. Still...  
  
"Hey, Jess?"  
  
"More coffee?"  
  
"Yeah, but other than that... maybe you should just go upstairs and chill out for a while," Lorelei said.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
He turned to her. "Why do you care anyways?"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Because... because Rory cares. And she'd be really sad if you passed out from... whatever it is that's wrong with you."  
  
"Nothing's wrong with me."  
  
"You couldn't breathe upstairs."  
  
"Nothing's wrong with me."  
  
Luke stormed down the stairs. "Jess!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and groaned. "What?"  
  
"Upstairs! Now!"  
  
"I'm busy."  
  
"I said now!"  
  
"You can't order me around! I don't live here anymore!"  
  
Luke glowered. "I pay you!"  
  
Jess walked upstairs.  
  
Luke walked after him a few paces. "And don't come back down here until nothing's wrong with you!"  
  
Jess began to walk back down the stairs.  
  
Luke glared menacingly and Jess walked back up the stairs. 


	28. A Very Merry Unbirthday

Rory and Lily came rushing into the diner, Rory looking much calmer and happier than when she'd left.  
  
Lorelei smiled at her daughter. "What's the rush?"  
  
"We need a cake," Lily announced.  
  
"Jess's birthday is in two days," Rory whispered.  
  
"Stop whispering," Lorelei whispered back. "He's upstairs."  
  
"Why?" Rory asked her voice normal again.  
  
Luke and Lorelei gave each other a glance.  
  
Lily frowned. "He got all sick again, didn't he?"  
  
"He's okay," Luke told them. "He's just taking it easy."  
  
Rory sat down next to Lorelei. "He can't be sick. His birthday is in two days. He can't be sick for his birthday."  
  
"He'll be fine by then," Lorelei reassured her daughter. "And if he' not, I'm sure he can do a perfectly good job of pretending that he is."  
  
Lily looked up a Luke. "Can I go and see him?"  
  
"Who're you?" Luke asked, slightly confused.  
  
"I'm Lily," she replied, holding a hand out in greeting. "You must be Cranky Uncle Luke."  
  
Luke shook her hand. "I'm not cranky."  
  
"Taylor would beg to differ," Lorelei said, digging into her food.  
  
"He doesn't count," Luke snapped. "Go on up, Lily."  
  
Lily smiled and scrambled up the stares.  
  
"I'm not cranky," Luke repeated.  
  
Rory and Lorelei gave each other knowing looks.  
  
*****  
  
"What are you reading?"  
  
Jess held up his book, and Lily smiled at him.  
  
"I got you that."  
  
He nodded. "It's good."  
  
She nodded back. "I know. How're you feeling?"  
  
"Fine," he replied. "You're all wet."  
  
"Raining," she shrugged.  
  
He got up and set his book down on the coffee table. "Lemme get you a towel."  
  
"You don't look fine," she called after him.  
  
"Looks aren't everything."  
  
"Did you throw up?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Are you going to?"  
  
He came back and covered her head with the towel. "Only if you're in range."  
  
"Ew! Jerk!" She began to dry herself off.  
  
"Yup." He plopped back down on the couch with his book.  
  
"Rory's downstairs."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"Want me to send her up?"  
  
"Whatever. She's probably too busy having her heart-to-heart with Dean."  
  
Lily stared in silence for a moment before voicing her opinion on his last remark. "You're so dumb."  
  
He looked up from his book. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You're really dumb."  
  
"Huh." He went back to reading.  
  
She snatched the book from him and he sat back, looking more annoyed than usual.  
  
"Why do you think everybody's gonna leave you?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"She stuck up for you," Lily went on. "She stormed away all mad!"  
  
He still didn't reply.  
  
"You think what you want," she said, throwing the towel at him and dropping the book on the table. "Just don't be so stupid."  
  
******  
  
"Rory, I already told you," Luke said. "I'm not making him a cake."  
  
"But you have to!" she cried. "Everybody needs a birthday cake!"  
  
"So you make it," Luke countered.  
  
"No, that's disaster in a can," Lorelei interjected. "Why don't you make it, Luke?"  
  
"I haven't made him a cake since his first birthday. Something tells me his tastes have changed."  
  
Rory smiled, remembering pictures of Jess at his first birthday party. "That's easy. I'll just-"  
  
"Not making cake," Luke cut her off.  
  
"Cupcakes?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Brownies?" she suggested.  
  
"No."  
  
"Pie?"  
  
"Rory!"  
  
"He's gonna be nineteen!" Rory cried.  
  
"He doesn't even like his birthday!" Luke said. "Last year Liz called and they got in a huge fight! In fact, I think he stayed in bed all day!"  
  
"Well, he's not gonna do that this year," Rory replied confidently.  
  
Lily fled down the stairs in a fury and pointed to Rory. "you're dating an idiot."  
  
Rory smiled. "Isn't he cute?"  
  
"No!" Lily cried. "He's an idiot!"  
  
"What did he do this time?" Luke asked.  
  
The nine-year-old rolled her eyes in a very Jess way and sat next to Lorelei. "Where'd the crazy girl go?"  
  
"Yeah, where is Lane?" Rory asked.  
  
Luke sighed. "Dave showed up and I let her off early. She looked like she might implode; though I have the feeling she was faking it to spend more time with Dave."  
  
"Lane? Fake imminent implosion to get out of work and have Dave- time?" Rory said in fake-shock. "Never." Her gaze strayed to the stairway.  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Go."  
  
Rory shot up the stairs.  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Those two are dangerous."  
  
"Tell me about it," Luke replied. "I walked in on them making out last weekend. They're turning into bunnies."  
  
"They haven't slept together yet," Lorelei replied, her voice kind of shocked. "At least that's what she told me." She gasped. "What if she lied?"  
  
"Rory wouldn't lie to you."  
  
"About Jess? She has before."  
  
"She wouldn't lie to you, Lorelei," Luke replied. "And something tells me that if they were, Jess would be a lot more pleasant to be around."  
  
Lily snorted. "Pleasant. Right."  
  
******  
  
When Rory reached the apartment, she found Jess sleeping on the couch. Book dangling from loose finger, and head tilted back on the couch cushion.  
  
She smiled and went to get him a blanket. When she came back and threw it over him, he stirred a little.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hey, sorry I woke you," she replied softly. "You okay? Mom and Luke said you weren't feeling well."  
  
"I'm fine," he told her, his eyes squinting in the light. "Hey... uh... I'm sorry."  
  
She gave him a confused look. "For what?"  
  
Sorry that he'd doubted her. Again. Sorry that he'd thought that she'd run back and take Dean's side. Again. Sorry that he's such an asshole who can't seem to trust people. Again.  
  
He shrugged. "Just sorry."  
  
She shook her head and kissed him briefly. "Go back to sleep. Mom and I are gonna kidnap Lily for a sleepover."  
  
"Oh, god," Jess moaned quietly. "Don't teach her any weird Gilmore habits. I don't think I can deal with that."  
  
Rory laughed a little. "Goodnight, Jess."  
  
"I'm not kidding, Rory. Don't get her addicted to coffee."  
  
"Well, too late. My mother is downstairs with her right now, force- feeding her through a funnel."  
  
He glared playfully and she laughed and walked out.  
  
*****  
  
"If I were a Jess, what would I want for my birthday?"  
  
Lily tried to keep up with Rory as they walked through the mall the next morning. "You. Naked."  
  
Rory stopped, and stared at Lily with a reddened face. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
Rory nodded. "Thank you."  
  
"He likes books."  
  
"I don't know what to get him," Rory replied. "Every book I've read, he's read. Every book I have that he hasn't read, he's taken and read it already behind my back."  
  
Lily nodded. "He did the same thing to me. He was such a book thief, and all he had to do was ask."  
  
"That's too hard for Jess."  
  
Lily laughed. "I don't know. He likes... alcohol."  
  
"I can't get him alcohol!" Rory cried. "That'd be supporting a bad habit. Plus, I'm only eighteen! And I look fourteen!"  
  
Lily looked up and tried to think more. "He writes, some."  
  
Rory raised an eyebrow. "He does?"  
  
Lily nodded. "He had a few notebooks lying around."  
  
"Hmm.."  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei walked into the diner and sat down. Jess walked over and poured her a cup of coffee. "Where are Rory and Lily?"  
  
Lorelei smiled. "Don't you see them? They're right across from me."  
  
Jess glared.  
  
"Oh! I forgot to tell you! They were in Rory's secret lab last night, and they created invisibility coffee."  
  
"Good. Bring some in for Kirk next time," Jess replied. "Where are they?"  
  
"Not here."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Plotting your death."  
  
"Lorelei..."  
  
"What? They went shopping."  
  
"Shopping?"  
  
"Shopping."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Panties."  
  
He glared again.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Lily didn't happen to mention anything about my birthday to Rory, did she?"  
  
Lorelei stared in half-shock. "It's your birthday?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and walked to take someone else's order.  
  
******  
  
When Lorelei came home from the diner, and checking briefly on the inn, she found Rory and Lily wrapping a large box.  
  
"What is that?" Lorelei asked.  
  
"Jess's birthday present," Rory replied, as she stuck a stray piece of wrapping paper on an uncovered spot.  
  
Lorelei nodded slowly. "Okay, but what is it?"  
  
"It's a type-writer," Lily replied.  
  
"A... typewriter," Lorelei repeated. "What does he need a type-writer for?"  
  
"To type, duh," Lily replied.  
  
Lorelei sighed.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, Jess woke up in his room in Luke's apartment, and blinked.  
  
His birthday.  
  
Joy of joys.  
  
He got up and trudged out to the kitchen to find an envelope with a few twenties in it, and a note written in Luke's handwriting that said "Happy birthday."  
  
He blinked and squinted at the sunlight coming through the closed window. He shrugged, and took the envelope back into his room, setting it on his nightstand before getting back in bed.  
  
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Jess groaned and got back out of bed and swung the door open.  
  
Oh. Damn.  
  
"Hey, Jess."  
  
He blinked. "Jimmy."  
  
"I uh..." Jimmy looked slightly uncomfortable. "Came to pick up Lily."  
  
"She uh... she's not here," Jess replied, scratching the back of his head, all of the sudden very aware of the fact that his hair was a mess, and all he was wearing were a pair of boxer shorts and a thin t-shirt. "She stayed at Rory's."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"You just wake up?" Jimmy asked.  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"It's noon."  
  
Yeah."  
  
"You usually get up this late?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Just today, huh?"  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
More silence.  
  
"You have no idea what today is, do you, Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy blinked. "I... uh..."  
  
Jess nodded. "Just wait downstairs. Lily will be in soon, probably. It's almost lunch time. Tell her I said bye. And thanks for the book." He began to close the door, but Jimmy stopped him.  
  
"I'll think of it," the older Mariano promised. "Gimme a minute."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and slammed the door.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei, Rory and Lily walked into the diner, Rory carrying the large, wrapped box in both hands.  
  
Luke blinked. "What the hell is that?"  
  
Rory smiled triumphantly. "Jess's birthday present."  
  
Luke sighed. "At least someone else remembered." He glared at Jimmy, who was sitting at the counter.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jimmy snapped. "Jeez."  
  
Lily blinked. "Jimmy?"  
  
"Hey, Lily," Jimmy turned to her.  
  
"What're you doing here?"  
  
"Came to get you," Jimmy replied.  
  
"And not for your kid's birthday," Luke added. "Nice one, Jimmy. Really great. I'm sure he's thrilled to know that you care about a kid who isn't even yours more than you care about him."  
  
"Oh, shut up, Luke, you judgmental ass."  
  
"I'm an ass? That's rich."  
  
"Okay, stop," Lorelei cut in. "This is stupid. Where's Jess?"  
  
"Sleeping," both men replied.  
  
"No," Rory said. "He's not supposed to sleep through his birthday."  
  
"He does this every year," Luke said, repeating his words from the other night. "I don't blame him." The phone rang and Luke sighed as he picked it up. "Luke's di- Hi, Liz. Hold on." He put the phone down and went to the stairs. "JESS!!! YOUR MOTHER IS ON THE PHONE!"  
  
"TELL HER I THREW MYSELF OUT A WINDOW!"  
  
"TELL HER YOURSELF! PICK UP THE PHONE!" He sighed and held the phone to his ear, being quiet, and listening.  
  
"Hi. Mom? Yeah. Hi. I threw myself out a window. Bye." With that, Jess hung up the phone.  
  
Luke glared and hung up as well. "JESS! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF CRAP! CALL YOUR MOTHER BACK!"  
  
"HEY! I WAS JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS!"  
  
"WELL FOLLOW ORDERS AGAIN AND CALL HER BACK!"  
  
"I'M SLEEPING!"  
  
"YOU'RE YELLING!"  
  
"BECAUSE YOU'RE YELLING! WHO CAN SLEEP WHILE YOU'RE YELLING!"  
  
"RORY'S HERE!"  
  
"HI, RORY!"  
  
Rory had to smirk. "HI! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"  
  
There was a faint grunting sound and then nothing more.  
  
"YOU'RE WELCOME!"  
  
Luke sighed and stalked up the stairs. He swung open the apartment door, and went to stand in Jess's doorway. He was lying in bed.  
  
"Get up, before I drag you out of bed by your foot."  
  
"You do that, and your fingers get bitten off."  
  
"Jess, just get outta bed."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Rory's downstairs, and has a something for you."  
  
"Oh. Is it a knife? Cause I could use something to stab myself with."  
  
He grabbed Jess by the shoulder and led him down the stairs. "Go."  
  
"I don't get to powder my nose? Or put on pants, for that matter?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, damn."  
  
They got down to the diner, and Rory stared, and turned red behind the box she was holding.  
  
Lily laughed. "Your legs are skinny."  
  
Jess looked down at his legs, and then glared at Lily. "Your everything is skinny. So shut up."  
  
Lily stuck out her tongue.  
  
Lorelei blinked and glanced at Rory, who was still blushing and staring at Jess. "Uh... Rory, I have to talk to you at home."  
  
Rory blinked. "Huh?" her eyes did not leave Jess still.  
  
"Home. Now." She took Rory by the shoulders, and led her out.  
  
Jess blinked and watched them go. "Was that my birthday present?"  
  
"Rory or the box?" Lily asked.  
  
"Both."  
  
Luke smacked his nephew on the back of the head.  
  
******  
  
Lorelei pulled Rory into the house.  
  
"What was that?" Rory asked. "I didn't get to give Jess his present."  
  
"Be honest with me," Lorelei said. "Be really, really honest with me."  
  
Rory blinked. "Uh... Mom? I'm always really, really honest with you."  
  
"Well, be really, really, really honest with me."  
  
"Are the paint fumes getting to you at work?" Rory asked worriedly. "Because you're worrying me."  
  
"Are you and Jess..."  
  
Rory blinked.  
  
Rory turned red. "No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"Mom! No!"  
  
"Oh. Okay." She sighed. "Okay."  
  
"You knew that already."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but... Luke mentioned bunnies."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bunnies!"  
  
"How dare he!" Rory cried. "What were the bunnies in reference to?"  
  
"You and Jess."  
  
"Well, then I repeat! How dare he!" Rory cried. "We are not bunnies. Do I look furry to you?"  
  
"Sometimes."  
  
"Mom, we're not," Rory told her again. "I'm not lying. I wouldn't lie to you."  
  
"I know," Lorelei replied. "I'm just... paranoid. And, you are... at that age where you want-"  
  
"Don't say that again!" Rory cried. "You said it before!"  
  
"You were staring!"  
  
"He's my boyfriend! I'm allowed to stare! That's a girlfriend privilege."  
  
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Lorelei said. "You're gonna tell me when..."  
  
Rory sighed. "Most likely. And Lane. Though I may come out of that particular conversation very deaf."  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
*****  
  
Jess walked into the diner and shed his coat that evening. It had started to rain a little again.  
  
"They gone?" Luke asked.  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
Luke nodded. "Sorry about Jimmy."  
  
"Jimmy's Jimmy."  
  
Luke nodded again.  
  
"Hey," Jess said shortly. "Thanks... for... uh... the... uh... present."  
  
Luke nodded and cleared his throat. "Yeah. No problem."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
"You should call your mom."  
  
"I don't have a number."  
  
"Oh. Right."  
  
"Hey, uh..." Luke held out a small piece of paper. "Your grandmother and Gloria called... and... Rory left this for you."  
  
Jess glanced it over and grabbed his jacket again. "Be back later."  
  
Luke nodded.  
  
*****  
  
She was sitting on the bridge with the box, and a cupcake with a lit candle in it.  
  
He sat next to her and sighed. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." Rory handed him the cupcake. "Happy birthday."  
  
He nodded. "Thanks. Where'd this come from?"  
  
"I stole it from the bakery case," she told him. "I think he made them, knowing I'd take one for you. He refused to make you cake."  
  
He shrugged. "Whatever."  
  
"So, make a wish."  
  
He glanced at the candle. "What do I wish for?"  
  
"Anything you want."  
  
He glanced at her.  
  
"Except that," she added, turning red.  
  
"Damn. Now I really don't know what to wish for," he smirked. "Oh, wait, I got it." He thought for a moment before blowing out the candle.  
  
She smiled. "Okay. Present time."  
  
"Don't you wanna know what I wished for?" he asked.  
  
"Nope. Then it won't come true."  
  
"You believe that?"  
  
"Better safe than sorry," she replied.  
  
He nodded, and glanced at the box. "So what the hell is that thing?"  
  
"Open it and see."  
  
She lifted the hefty box and handed it to him. He put it next to him and carefully began to take off the wrapping.  
  
"Oh, god, Jess, just open it."  
  
"No."  
  
"You're just doing this to torture me."  
  
"Yeah." He opened it the rest of the way, and blinked. "It's... wow."  
  
Rory nodded. "It's used, but... I'm going a little broke, so..."  
  
Jess glanced inside the box. "Wow. You didn't have to..."  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"It's great."  
  
"You like it?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks."  
  
She nodded as he pulled out the old typewriter and looked it over.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"You're surprised."  
  
He nodded. "I am, kind of."  
  
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Good. Eat your cupcake. Before I eat it for you."  
  
He handed it to her. "Go to town." 


	29. Dinners 'n Such

A/N: Pardon my Paris. She may be a little out of character. My bad.  
  
"Connor's Books."  
  
"Jess, listen-"  
  
"Jimmy, why are you calling me at work?" Jess asked, as he rang out a customer. "How the hell do you know where I work?"  
  
"Lily told me. Listen, I wanted to apologize-"  
  
Jess hung up and nodded to his customer. "Thank you."  
  
The phone rang again.  
  
"Connor's Books."  
  
Jimmy sighed. "Jess, if you'd just listen I'm trying to fix thi-"  
  
Again, Jess hung up. He picked up a stack of books to shelve, just as the phone rang again. He picked it up. "Jimmy, I swear to god, if you don't stop calling-"  
  
"Jimmy? Wow. I never thought you'd mistake me for your father."  
  
He sighed and set his stack down. "Hey, Rory."  
  
"Hey," she replied. "Parental issues?"  
  
"Always. You?"  
  
"Procrastination."  
  
"Ah," Jess nodded, sitting in his chair behind the counter.  
  
"Why does Jimmy keep calling?" Rory asked.  
  
Jess shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
"Maybe he's trying to apologize for forgetting your birthday?"  
  
Jess shrugged again. "Whatever."  
  
"You should talk to him."  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Hey, I don't see you jumping at the chance to talk to your father."  
  
"That's different."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Next subject."  
  
"What subject?"  
  
"Any subject."  
  
He smirked. "Any subject?"  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"What? I didn't say anything."  
  
She laughed a little. "I should get back to my paper."  
  
He nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"I don't wanna go."  
  
"So don't."  
  
"But I have to write this paper."  
  
"So write the paper."  
  
"But I don't wanna go."  
  
"So don't go."  
  
"You're not making this any easier."  
  
"Yeah, but I could be making it a lot harder."  
  
She gave this a little thought. "You're not wrong."  
  
"I know."  
  
"How's work?"  
  
"Work. Fine. Connor is sitting in the back, talking to himself and reading Heinlein."  
  
Rory laughed a little. "How old is that guy?"  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine," Jess replied quietly. "I should shelve."  
  
"I should work."  
  
Neither hung up or made any attempt to say goodbye.  
  
"Not this again," Rory laughed. "What's wrong with us?"  
  
She could hear him smirk. "Hey, what are you doing for dinner tonight?"  
  
*****  
  
"Step away from the stove."  
  
"I can cook."  
  
"You lie. Step away."  
  
Paris turned and glared at Jess. "You can't make me."  
  
"This is my apartment," Jess snapped. "My apartment equals you stepping away from my stove. Now."  
  
Rory sighed as she walked into the kitchen. "Paris, Jess is going to cook."  
  
"He'll probably poison me," Paris replied.  
  
Jess shook his head as he rummaged through his refrigerator. "Only if you ask me nicely."  
  
Rory sighed and sat at the small kitchen table. Maybe inviting Paris to dinner at Jess's wasn't the best idea in the world, but the girl had no one else to eat with. Janet and Tanna had gone out for dinner together, and Rory felt guilty about leaving Paris alone.  
  
"What are we having?" Paris asked.  
  
"Pasta."  
  
"Pasta with what?" Paris asked.  
  
"Sauce," Jess replied, filling a pot with water.  
  
"What kind of sauce?"  
  
"Sauce that's made from the blood of virgins," Jess replied mechanically as he adjusted the stove.  
  
Paris glanced at Rory. "This may not be the safest place for you, Rory."  
  
"Rory, tell Paris that if she doesn't stop talking, I'm going to scoop out her insides and add them to the sauce."  
  
"Paris, Jess says-"  
  
Paris glared at Jess's back. "Rory, tell Jess that if he does, I'll come back as a zombie and-"  
  
"Enough!" Rory cried. "My god! Either say nice things to each other or don't say anything at all!"  
  
Both stopped talking.  
  
*****  
  
"So, Rory. The end of your semester is swiftly approaching," Richard said as he lifted a fork-full of food. "How does it feel?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Not bad. I can't wait for summer."  
  
Richard smiled. "Oh? Do you and Jess have plans?"  
  
"Nothing definite," Rory replied. "I'm going to try and convince him to go up to New York and visit his relatives more. They're really nice, and I think he misses them."  
  
"Well, that's a fine idea," Richard smiled.  
  
"Are you sure the city is the safest place?" Emily asked. "Especially where they live?"  
  
"I'm sure it's a nice enough neighborhood, Mom," Lorelei interjected. "She was fine the last time she went."  
  
Rory nodded. "It's right around Little Italy."  
  
"Oh," Emily said shortly. "That's... quaint."  
  
"It's pretty neat," Rory went on, talking to Richard more than anyone. "Gloria showed me around a little. I started looking up some of the history online, and it's interesting stuff."  
  
"Who is Gloria?" Emily whispered to Lorelei.  
  
"Jess's cousin," Lorelei whispered back. "I met her briefly. She's a sweet kid."  
  
Emily snorted softly. "Just as sweet as Jess, I assume."  
  
"Nah," Lorelei smirked. "Nobody is as sweet as Jess."  
  
Emily glared.  
  
"So, Rory, how did Jess like the book I lent him?" Richard asked.  
  
"Oh, uh, he'd read it already, Grandpa," Rory replied. "But he said thank you."  
  
"Really?" Richard seemed shocked by this. "That's a bit of an obscure text."  
  
"Well, Jess does like his obscurity," Rory smiled. "Maybe sometime I can bring him and he can pick something too obscure even for him."  
  
Richard nodded. "Alright. That would be fine."  
  
Rory smiled. At least one family member didn't have any vocal doubts about Jess.  
  
*****  
  
"Mom, do you remember the last time you tried to throw Rory a party?" Lorelei asked, following her mother around the large house in Hartford the next day. "You wound up inviting people she hated."  
  
"Well, now I have you here to help me make up the guest list," Emily replied, rushing around the house. "You will help me, won't you?"  
  
"Mom, I don't know if Rory wants an end-of-the-year bash."  
  
"It's a surprise, Lorelei," Emily replied. "And you're going to help me plan it."  
  
"Mom, I don't know," Lorelei said, putting her hands up. "I've got the inn to worry about."  
  
"You can take a little time off, this won't take long."  
  
"Mom-"  
  
"All you have to do is make up the guest list, Lorelei," Emily snapped. "That's all I'm asking."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Yeah, okay. Fine."  
  
*****  
  
"Have you talked to Jimmy yet?"  
  
"I unplugged the phone."  
  
Rory sighed and sat up on the bridge and put her book down. "What if your mom tries to call you again?"  
  
Jess shrugged, and didn't follow suit, just kept his spot, lying there on the bridge, reading his book.  
  
"Do you miss them?"  
  
"Should I?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I take my relationship with my mom for granted sometimes."  
  
He gave another shrug.  
  
"My, you're just so talkative today," Rory teased with a smile.  
  
He sighed and gave yet another shrug.  
  
"What are you going to do this summer?" she asked.  
  
"Work," he replied.  
  
"I was thinking that we could go visit your grandmother again," Rory suggested, lying back down next to him. "Maybe you could show me around the city more?"  
  
He nodded. "Sounds good. We'll pick a couple of days."  
  
She nodded. "Okay. Sounds good. I was thinking of getting a job this summer, too."  
  
He turned his head to her and smirked with a raised eyebrow. "You?"  
  
She nodded. "I could use the cash."  
  
"Yeah," he nodded back. "What do you wanna do?"  
  
"Steal your bookstore job right out from under your nose."  
  
His smirk widened a little. "You could always take over my shift at Luke's. Free coffee. And Lane."  
  
"Hmmm... tempting, but then you'd have no other reason to come back to town other than see me." She looked at him. "Hey, speaking of Lane, is it true that my grandmother is planning an end-of-the year party for me?"  
  
Jess blinked. She wasn't supposed to know about that. He'd been under strict orders from Lorelei to keep his mouth shut about, else she do horrible things to him that would result in his becoming quite sterile. Best play it safe. She gave another shrug. "I don't know. What does that have to do with Lane?"  
  
"I dragged it out of her," Rory went on. "She says that everybody's in on it. Mom, Grandma and Grandpa... she said even you know."  
  
He shrugged again.  
  
"You know."  
  
"You don't know that," he told her. "For all you know this is the first I've heard of it."  
  
"But you know."  
  
"I admit nothing."  
  
She gasped and sat up again. "You do! You've been keeping it from me."  
  
"Hey, you want coffee?" he asked. "We could head to the diner."  
  
"You've known and you didn't tell me."  
  
"I want cheese fries." He sat up and got to his feet. "Come on."  
  
She got up and jumped onto his back. "You dirty rotten jerk!" she cried, laughing. "How long have you known?!"  
  
He laughed shortly and did his best to carry her down to the diner. "I think the special is some kind of weird soup. Caesar's been experimenting. It's scary. I think he has delusions of Emeril."  
  
"Admit it! You knew!"  
  
He just smirked and kept walking. 


	30. Sing Me a Little Ray Charles

"What do you mean you cracked?!"  
  
Lane sighed and hopped up and down anxiously as she served Lorelei her morning coffee. "I mean... She pestered! She threatened! She bribed! She blackmailed! She was gonna steal all of my Radiohead cds! I had to tell her!"  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Damn. My mother isn't going to be happy."  
  
"What's wrong?" Luke asked.  
  
"My mother is planning Rory a surprise end of the year party for the day after school lets out," Lorelei replied. "I told Lane, because I thought she'd be good for planning, being the best friend. And I told Jess, seeing as he's the boyfriend, and... well, I don't know why I told Jess."  
  
"You didn't," Lane said guiltily. "I did."  
  
Lorelei shook her head. "You're not very good at this. Why did you tell Jess?"  
  
"I don't know! Maybe he'd think up something really great for her!"  
  
"Well, he can't now, because she knows!" Lorelei cried. "How can he think up something when she knows?"  
  
"I'm sorry," Lane wailed.  
  
The phone rang, and Lorelei hopped up and grabbed it. "Luke's Diner!"  
  
Luke tried to grab the phone from Lorelei, but she dodged him and ran out from behind the counter, stretching its cord almost to its limit. "No, Jess is only here on weekends, can I take a-"she dodged Luke again. "Hold on, my boss is being very rude." She put her hand over the mouthpiece. "Do you mind? I'm taking a call."  
  
Luke shook his head and crossed his arms. "Lunatic."  
  
"Now, what were you saying, Leslie?" Lorelei asked.  
  
Luke's eyes widened. "Leslie?" he hissed. "Hang up the phone!"  
  
"Uh-huh.." Lorelei said as she wrote down the message on a napkin. "Uh... huh... yeah... bye..." She numbly handed Luke the phone, and he hung it up.  
  
"What?" Luke asked. "What did she say?"  
  
Lorelei handed him the napkin.  
  
Luke read it and then tossed it down, putting rubbing his face with his hands. "Aw, jeez"  
  
*****  
  
Jess was just about to take a bite out of his dinner pizza when his phone rang. He'd plugged the phone back in the night before when Jimmy had failed to call him at work. "Hello?"  
  
"SOS!"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"I lost Georgia."  
  
"So look at a map."  
  
"I'm not kidding!" Rory cried. "Dad needed a babysitter and-"  
  
"You know nothing about babies."  
  
"But I felt guilty, so I said yes," Rory went on. "And she was in my dorm, and now-"  
  
"You're at school?"  
  
"It's Tuesday night!" Rory yelled. "Where else would I be?"  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Jess asked.  
  
"Well, Paris is busy, and Tanna and Janet are MIA-"  
  
He sighed. "I'm on my way."  
  
******  
  
"We need to figure out a time when she'll be available and unsuspicious."  
  
Lorelei sighed as she sat down on the couch next to her mother that evening. "She knows, Mom."  
  
Emily shook her head. "Of course she doesn't. What are you talking about?"  
  
"Lane cracked," Lorelei replied. "She told Rory about the party. And Rory asked Jess, and he apparently does this thing where he'll start a totally new conversation when someone brings up a topic that he doesn't like. And he did it when she asked about the party, so she knows."  
  
"Well, that's terrible," Emily frowned. "The entire thing is ruined."  
  
"It isn't," Lorelei replied. "It's not. We can still do it. We'll just plan a few little surprises. She doesn't know what's going into this party, so she'll be totally surprised at how good it is!"  
  
Emily sighed. "I suppose."  
  
"So she knows about the party," Lorelei sighed. "What she doesn't know is that her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend called the diner this morning to tell him that she's pregnant with his kid."  
  
Emily's head snapped to her daughter. "What?!"  
  
*****  
  
"Maybe if we start singing Ray Charles..."  
  
"Not funny," Rory replied. "I can't believe I did this."  
  
"We'll find her," Jess reassured. "And if we don't, we'll just find one of those weird fairies that pose as babies when the real ones are stolen."  
  
Rory did not look pleased with this suggestion.  
  
He knocked on what could have been the millionth dorm room door and it opened to reveal and very drunk-looking young man. Behind him, a large group of people were mingling, dancing and jumping around.  
  
"Yeah?" the drunken guy in front of them asked.  
  
You seen a baby?" Jess asked.  
  
The looked confused for a minute, and then laughed. "Ooooh! You mean Bitty Babe!" He turned back to the people in the room. "Where's Bitty Babe?!"  
  
Someone handed him a baby, and he held her out to Rory.  
  
"Oh, thank god!" Rory cried, taking Georgia. She looked up at the guy in front of them. "If you weren't so drunk, I'd hug you."  
  
The guy laughed again. "Hug me anyways!"  
  
Rory shook her head and rushed off.  
  
Jess shrugged. "Better luck next time."  
  
*****  
  
"So she was no problem?"  
  
"Nope," Rory replied, handing Georgia over to her father. "She was a complete angel."  
  
Chris smiled as he hefted his baby daughter in his arms. "Great! Thanks again, Rory. I'm really sorry this was so last minute. Work has been crazy."  
  
Rory nodded. "I bet."  
  
Chris kissed Georgia on the cheek, but raised an eyebrow. "Why does she smell like Budweiser?"  
  
Rory was about to reply, when Jess stepped forward.  
  
"We went walking, and a couple of drunk girls decided Georgia was the cutest baby in the world. Hard not to smell like beer after that."  
  
Rory nodded in agreement.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei and Rory walked through Star's Hollow after returning from their Friday dinner in Harford.  
  
"I can't believe you lied to him!"  
  
"I had to," Rory replied. "I couldn't tell him she'd been baby-napped right out from under me!"  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
"C-Spanning," was her quiet, guilty reply.  
  
Lorelei's eyes widened. "You were watching TV?!"  
  
"For half a second!!" Rory cried. "God, I'm gonna be the worst mother in the world."  
  
Lorelei bit her lip. "You found Georgia, though. So it's okay."  
  
Rory nodded. "Jess helped."  
  
"Well... good."  
  
There was a lull in the conversation.  
  
"About Jess..."  
  
Rory raised an eyebrow. "What about Jess?"  
  
"I can't help feeling like he's only in this to sleep with you," Lorelei said quickly.  
  
"Why... why would you think that?" Rory asked defensively.  
  
"I don't know! Why else would he stick around so long?"  
  
"Because we're in a relationship, Mom. That's what people do in relationships, they stick. Like crazy glue." She couldn't believe they were talking about this. She'd thought her mother had been starting to get along with Jess.  
  
"I just can't picture Jess being in this for the long haul," Lorelei said calmly. "He's not that kind of guy."  
  
Rory shook her head. "What brought this on?"  
  
"I just... I know you love him, Angel. I don't want you to get hurt again."  
  
"He loves me, too, Mom."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Rory, saying it doesn't always equal meaning it."  
  
"He means it."  
  
"You've said it yourself, he's a good liar," Lorelei pointed out.  
  
"He loves me, Mom."  
  
"That didn't stop him from leaving you last year."  
  
Rory couldn't reply. "I have to go study."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Rory-"  
  
"I'll talk to you later." She walked off toward the house.  
  
*****  
  
She'd gone straight from home to Lane's apartment, leaving a note, and Lane's phone number on the kitchen table.  
  
"Wow, she said that?" Lane asked, pushing a mug of hot chocolate toward Rory.  
  
Rory nodded as she sat numbly in the small apartment. "I don't even know what brought it on. I just mentioned that Jess had helped me baby sit."  
  
"Maybe she's jealous," Dave suggested, sitting on the couch next to Lane, who nodded.  
  
"You do spend a lot of time with Jess these days. Maybe she feels threatened or something."  
  
"Then why didn't she just tell me?"  
  
"Because it could be a mix of that and her mistrust of Jess," Dave replied.  
  
"But she was being really good," Rory reasoned.  
  
"Maybe she realized she was being good, freaked out and reverted," Dave responded.  
  
Rory looked to Lane. "Why isn't he a psychology major?"  
  
******  
  
Jess sighed as he walked over to Lorelei's table. "What besides coffee?"  
  
"How about a heaping bowl of stay away from my daughter?"  
  
Jess looked up at her. "Scuse me?"  
  
Lorelei glared. "Oh. I forgot to give you your phone message." She dug into her purse and handed him a folded up napkin.  
  
He read it and glared back. "What're you doing answering Luke's phone?"  
  
"She says she's pregnant."  
  
"Not my problem."  
  
"She says it's yours."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"You think she's lying."  
  
"It crossed my mind."  
  
"Are you cheating on Rory?"  
  
"If you don't know the answer to that, then you're an idiot." He walked over to the counter, told Luke he was breaking and then walked out the door.  
  
Luke sighed and walked over to Lorelei to fill her coffee. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"I asked him."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And the kid pretty much tore me a new asshole."  
  
"Well, you did suggest something pretty harsh," Luke replied, sitting across from her.  
  
"I just don't want him hurting Rory again," Lorelei told him before taking a sip.  
  
Luke shrugged. "We already know this Leslie is a nut. She's probably lying."  
  
"And if she isn't?"  
  
Luke sighed.  
  
*****  
  
She ran into him on her way to the diner. "Hey."  
  
He nodded, and lit a cigarette.  
  
"Breaking?" Rory asked.  
  
Another nod.  
  
"How many cigarettes have you had in the last five minutes?"  
  
He held up four fingers.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
He took the cigarette out of his mouth and blew out some smoke. "Your mother has found new and inventive ways to hate me."  
  
"She did mention something like that," Rory nodded.  
  
"Huh." He dropped the cigarette, crushed it with his shoe and lit another.  
  
"Since when have you become a chain smoker?" Rory asked.  
  
"Since your mother started answering Luke's phone and taking messages."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Leslie called," he said through his cigarette. He looked almost frantic. "She told Lorelei that she's pregnant. She told Lorelei that the kid is mine."  
  
Rory stared. "...Oh."  
  
"See, but there's only one problem."  
  
Rory shifted a little. "What's that?"  
  
"I haven't touched her in three years!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
He tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it as he did with his last one. He went for another, but she took his hands. He looked at her.  
  
"Jess."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"She's lying?"  
  
He nodded. "She's lying."  
  
"Okay," Rory sighed. "Let's go sit in the gazebo and call Gloria and see what's up, okay?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
*****  
  
Taylor was stocking items when he heard it.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN SHE TOLD JAMIE THE SAME THING?!"  
  
He dropped the box he'd been carrying and looked out the window to see Jess Mariano lie down on the floor of the gazebo and put his hands over his face.  
  
Taylor glared and stormed out and over to the center of town, where Luke, Lorelei and Lane had already gathered.  
  
"Luke, keep your foul-mouthed nephew under control. This is not appropriate public behavior!"  
  
Jess used his very special finger to tell Taylor exactly what he thought of his opinion.  
  
"My word!" Taylor gasped.  
  
"Cut it out, Jess," Luke scolded.  
  
Rory was still on her cell phone. "No, Gloria, people just heard Jess yell." She sighed. "Yeah, hopefully we'll see you soon. Bye." She turned off the phone and looked down at Jess. "False alarm."  
  
Jess nodded and sat up.  
  
"False alarm for what?" Lane asked. "What did I miss?"  
  
Jess lay back down with a "thunk" sound.  
  
*****  
  
After watching Taylor lecture Jess on public courtesy, Luke led them all back into the diner.  
  
"Good god, can that man talk," Luke groaned. "Jess, go restock the napkins."  
  
He nodded and was trailed by Rory over to the napkins.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
She sighed. "Not this again."  
  
"I'm fine," he told her. "Just... hating Leslie. A lot."  
  
"Why would she do that?" Rory asked.  
  
"She's probably just really, really high," Jess muttered, putting the napkins into their holders.  
  
"Ew."  
  
He nodded.  
  
Lorelei sighed as she watched them. "I should apologize for being the girlfriend's evil mom, shouldn't I?"  
  
Luke nodded. "May be good for public relations."  
  
"I can't apologize," she replied. "He's Jess."  
  
"You accused him of cheating on his girlfriend and getting the girl pregnant," Luke pointed out. "Not exactly what I'd call a nice gesture."  
  
Lorelei groaned. "Can you go tell him I'm sorry for me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just... go over, and tell Jess that I'm sorry."  
  
"Why can't you tell him?" Luke asked. "You were getting along a week ago."  
  
"Yeah, but that was before I turned into the girlfriend's evil mom."  
  
"Just go over there and say it."  
  
Lorelei pouted.  
  
Luke sighed. "Jess?"  
  
He didn't turn around from the napkins. "What?"  
  
"Lorelei says she's sorry."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I am," Lorelei piped up. "I can't say it."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "What I don't get an apology accepted? A 'That's okay, Lorelei, we're cool?' A 'Go jump into the lake?'"  
  
He finally turned around. "I can tell you to go jump into the lake if it'll make you feel better."  
  
Rory smacked him playfully on the arm. "Stock napkins, coffee boy."  
  
"Huh." 


	31. The Grease Will Kill You

A/N: No. It's not true. Leslie's just really, really evil. A/N #2: Again, Thank you guys for all the great feedback! You rule!  
  
Lindsay walked into the diner and stood behind Rory, who was seated at the counter, waiting for Jess to come back with her cheeseburger and coffee.  
  
"How long does it take?!" she cried.  
  
"What, you wanna eat it raw?" Came Jess's voice.  
  
"I'm hungry!"  
  
"I know!"  
  
"I want food."  
  
"I know!!"  
  
"Don't yell!"  
  
"If I don't yell, you can't hear me!"  
  
"Oh! Yeah!"  
  
Lindsay shyly tapped Rory on the shoulder, and she jumped slightly and whirled around.  
  
"Oh, Lindsay, hey. You kinda scared me."  
  
"Sorry," Lindsay replied. "I didn't mean to... mind if I sit?"  
  
"No, not at all," Rory replied, turning back around as the other girl sat next to her.  
  
"So... Jess is getting you food?"  
  
"Yeah," Rory replied. "You want something?"  
  
"Salad?" Lindsay asked.  
  
Rory nodded. "Jess!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Can you get a salad, too?!"  
  
"You hate salad!"  
  
"It's not for me!" Rory replied. "Lindsay's hungry, too."  
  
She heard his distant sigh. "Yeah! I got it!"  
  
"Thank you!" Lindsay called.  
  
He grunted in reply.  
  
"So, uh... how are... you and Dean?" Rory asked awkwardly.  
  
Lindsay nodded. "Uh... fine. You and... and Jess?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Great."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Lindsay turned to her. "Can I... can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure," Rory shrugged. "Shoot."  
  
"Do... ah. This is kind of an embarrassing question," the blond girl muttered to herself. "Do you still... still have feelings for Dean?"  
  
Rory blinked and stared at the other girl. "No."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Lindsay, listen," Rory replied. "Dean... he was really sweet to me when we were together, and I really cared for him, but... I'm in love with Jess."  
  
Lindsay smiled, seemingly to relax a little. "I'm in love with Dean." Her smiled faded. "But I don't think he's in love with me."  
  
Rory was about to reply when Jess stormed out of the kitchen carrying two plates. One with a greasy looking cheeseburger and fries, and one with a happy-looking salad. He glared back at the kitchen door for a moment, before setting the food down in front of the girls.  
  
"What took so long?" Rory asked.  
  
"You're welcome," Jess replied. "Caesar tried experimenting with the food again. He had to start from scratch."  
  
Rory shook her head. "I hope he's not getting his hopes up for Iron Chef."  
  
"He's mentioned it a few times," Jess replied. "Don't let him get started."  
  
Rory nodded. "My lips are sealed. Hey Jess?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Can you go back in there for a minute?"  
  
Jess blinked. "Why?"  
  
"Girl talk," Rory replied, gesturing to Lindsay.  
  
"With pleasure," Jess replied, walking back into the kitchen.  
  
*****  
  
"Wow, so she's really thinking of... like... divorcing him?" Lorelei asked over Tai food that night.  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah. It's so sad. I feel bad for Dean."  
  
"I thought you were all about the Dean-hating after that whole putting Jess in the hospital thing."  
  
"I was," Rory nodded. "But... divorce sucks."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "That it does. So... why? I mean..."  
  
"She says..." Rory turned a little red. "She says she thinks he still has feelings for me."  
  
"Oh, lord, not this again," Lorelei muttered. "If he still has feelings for you, why is he married?"  
  
"I don't know!" Rory cried. "I didn't even know he still had feelings for me! I thought he was just fighting with Jess because Jess is...well... Jess, and frankly, Jess can be pretty annoying sometimes."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "He really can."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"What? You said it."  
  
"But I'm the girlfriend," Rory told her. "I'm allowed to say it."  
  
"Yes, Ma'am," Lorelei saluted. "So... what? Are you going to talk to Dean?"  
  
"Probably not so much," Rory replied. "I really don't think it's a good idea. I think that whatever he and Lindsay are going through... I don't wanna be in the middle of. At all. Ever."  
  
"Smart girl."  
  
"Mama didn't raise no fool."  
  
"Damn right."  
  
*****  
  
"I think we should start the 'We Hate Leslie Club.'"  
  
"I'm in," Jess replied as he paced around his apartment a couple of Thursdays later after work. Jamie had called, and they'd talked about nothing but the fiasco with Leslie for an hour.  
  
"I just can't believe it!" Jamie cried. "I can't believe she did that."  
  
"Jamie?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Jess sighed. "Why... did you freak out and take her to the hospital, when you hadn't slept with her in two years?"  
  
"I don't know! Somebody slaps you with a possible paternity suit and you don't really think about it."  
  
"Jamie, you don't really think about anything."  
  
"That's not the point." He sighed. "Fuckin... fuck."  
  
"Nice."  
  
"Oh, shut the hell up, man. You're no better." Jess could hear him smirk. "So... how's that girlfriend of yours?"  
  
"Jamie, I swear to god-"  
  
"What?! I'm just trying to make polite conversation..." he paused. "Have you fucked yet?"  
  
"Oh, Jesus! Shut up!"  
  
"Sorry," Jamie snickered. "Seriously, how is she?"  
  
"She's alright... Her finals started this week, so we haven't spoken too much lately. Just short phone call to reassure ourselves that we're both still alive and well."  
  
"Wow. Y'know, I'm sure she doesn't have to study that hard to get good grades," Jamie pointed out. "She already goes to fuckin' Yale."  
  
Jess shrugged. "True but-"There was a ding sound. "Hey, hold on. Call-waiting."  
  
"You have call-waiting?"  
  
"Oh, fuck you."  
  
Jamie laughed. "You have CALL WAITING?!"  
  
Jess sighed and pressed the flash button. "Hello?"  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Sasha."  
  
"Jess.... We have a problem."  
  
******  
  
Rory followed Paris into newspaper the next afternoon, feeling as if a giant weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Finals were over. Done. Finished. She was supposed to go to Jess's that evening and watch movies as her gift to herself for getting all of them done.  
  
She sat at her station and dug through her purse for her discs, but came upon her cell phone instead. She'd neglected it due to finals, and hadn't bothered to check her messages.  
  
She shrugged, and turned it on, dialing to her voicemail.  
  
"You have twelve new messages."  
  
She sighed. This was what she got for failing to check it for an entire week. After going through the ten that were from Lorelei, and the one that was from Luke, begging her to call Lorelei back to get her to stop talking his ear off, she finally came to the last one, that was dated the night before.  
  
"Hey... it's me... It's Jess. Uhm. Uh... Jimmy. He uh... he had a heart attack. Yeah. And uh... I... I have to go. I'm really sorry about tomorrow night. I have to go. I'm really sorry. I'll uh... I'll call you... y'know, when I get there. I promise. I'm really sorry. I love you."  
  
She shut off the phone when the message ended, and Rory got to her feet and began repacking her things. She headed for the door, but was stopped by Doyle.  
  
Her short manager looked up at her. "Where do you think you're going, Gilmore?"  
  
"I... I have to go, Doyle, I'm really sorry."  
  
"It's the last meeting of the year," Doyle replied firmly. "You just got here."  
  
"Ugh..." She took her phone back out, cued it to Jess's message, and held it up to Doyle's ear.  
  
He listened, and blinked. "Who's Jess?"  
  
"My boyfriend."  
  
"Who's Jimmy?"  
  
"His dad."  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?! Go!"  
  
She nodded. "Thanks! Sorry!" She ran out.  
  
******  
  
They'd been stumbling around Venice Beach all night, and all day. It had been Jamie's idea of course. To get drunk, that is. He'd offered to come with him after Jess had gotten off the phone with Sasha. He couldn't very well let his best friend deal with this alone. And sober.  
  
"Dude... dude..." Jamie slurred. "Dude."  
  
"What?" Jess laughed. It was more of a giggle, but who was really counting at that point? They certainly weren't.  
  
"I d'no. I just... Dude."  
  
Jess laughed. Well... giggled.  
  
*****  
  
She knocked frantically on her grandparent's door, and prayed that her grandmother was out.  
  
She was in luck, because it was Richard who opened the door. "Rory!" he smiled. "What a nice-"  
  
"Grandpa, I have an emergency."  
  
He frowned. "Oh? Well, come in. Tell me."  
  
"I don't think I have time... I just... this is going to sound really lame, and really awful, but I was wondering if I could borrow some money."  
  
"What for?"  
  
Rory became even more frantic. "Jess's dad had a heart attack, and I think he went there, but I don't know, because I just got his message from last night today after my last exam, and I don't know his number, and he doesn't have a cell phone, and I don't know anything about what's going on, and I just-"  
  
"Rory."  
  
She stopped.  
  
"Give me a couple of minutes. I'll drive you to the airport."  
  
She threw her arms around him.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei and Emily stared at Richard in shock at dinner that night.  
  
Emily looked about ready to have her own heart attack. "You drove her to the airport to go to a place she knows nothing about to find people she has no idea how to find?!"  
  
"She'll be alright, Emily," Richard replied. "She's nearly nineteen, and the boy's father had a heart attack."  
  
"That's not her problem!" Emily cried.  
  
"She's in a serious relationship," Richard countered. "She felt she needed to be there for him, and I support that."  
  
"You didn't even ask Lorelei!" Emily yelled. "How do you think she feels?!"  
  
Both parents turned to their daughter, who could only stare off into space.  
  
*****  
  
Rory stood there, looking quite awkward. "Hi... uhm... I'm Rory Gilmore... I'm Jess's girlfriend. He left me this message and-"  
  
The blond woman in front of her smiled. "Come in, Rory. I know who you are. Lily hasn't been able to talk about pretty much anything but you since she got back from her visit."  
  
Rory smiled a little as she walked in and was immediately pounced on by a troop of dogs. "Whoa!."  
  
Sasha sighed. "Don't mind them. They'll lose interest in a minute."  
  
"So... wow, I'm really sorry about Jimmy," Rory said. "Is he okay?"  
  
Sasha nodded. "It was pretty mild, but a heart attack all the same."  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah. My grandfather had one a couple of years ago. It was pretty scary."  
  
Sasha nodded. "I uh... I don't know where Jess is. He showed up at the hospital with a buddy of his, and then left a while later."  
  
"Buddy?"  
  
"Tall guy? Blond?"  
  
Rory shook her head. "He brought Jamie?"  
  
Sasha shrugged. "Didn't know the guy. You hungry? Or thirsty?"  
  
Rory sat down on their couch. "No, I think I'm okay, thanks."  
  
Sasha nodded. "Hey, Rory. Thanks for coming all this way. I know Jess is gonna be floored when he comes home."  
  
Rory smiled, just as the door swung open loudly, and Jess and Jamie came stumbling in.  
  
Both girls looked over to them and Sasha groaned. "Dammit."  
  
Jess wobbled over to the couch, and attempted to sit next to Rory, but missed completely, and wound up on the floor, and laughed.  
  
Jamie never made it through the doorway.  
  
Rory stared down at Jess. "Uhm... hello?"  
  
He blinked up at her and gave her a thousand-watt smile. "Hi!"  
  
"Oh my god. Are you smiling? And did your voice just... crack?"  
  
His smile grew wider.  
  
"Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?"  
  
He laughed... giggled.  
  
Rory frowned. "Oh, my god. You're really, really drunk."  
  
He nodded. "I am."  
  
Sasha stormed over, and dragged Jess to his feet by the arms.  
  
"Hi!" Jess smiled at her.  
  
"Ugh... god, Jess, don't smile. It's disturbing," Sasha told him. "Come on. You're gonna take a shower, now."  
  
"Can Rory come?"  
  
"No," Sasha snapped.  
  
"Are you gonna take a shower with me?"  
  
"God, no. Just come on."  
  
Jess stumbled after her. "Okay."  
  
Rory got up and walked over to Jamie, who was lying in the hallway. "Can you get up?"  
  
Jamie smiled. "Yeah."  
  
"So why don't you?"  
  
"Cause the floor is spinning... and it's so cool."  
  
"Oh, my god," Rory shook her head. "What possessed you to do this?"  
  
Jamie laughed. "It's fun."  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
*****  
  
After a very cold shower, and a few rounds on his knees in front of the toilet, Jess was lying on the mattress that was still set up for him in the storage room in the small apartment. He probably should have told Jamie that he ought not get drunk, but he didn't. As usual. He just didn't care enough to say no.  
  
The knock on the door made his head pound slightly. "Come in."  
  
The door opened and Lily walked in, and slammed it behind her.  
  
Jess flinched.  
  
"And guess who's still an idiot?"  
  
"Go away, Lily."  
  
She opened the door, and slammed it again.  
  
He groaned. "Do you have to do that?"  
  
She nodded. "I'm teaching you a lesson."  
  
"Great... I'm getting an education from a nine-year-old," Jess muttered, putting his pillow over his head. "I'm so lucky."  
  
"We sent Jamie home."  
  
Jess took his pillow off of his head. "What?"  
  
"Mom and Rory are driving him to the airport right now," Lily replied. "He's going home."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Don't you care?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
She looked upset all of the sudden. "Don't you care about anything?! Jimmy's really sick, and you just walked out today! You came all this way and you just walked out!!" She sniffed a little. "Why did you come if you were just gonna be stupid again?!"  
  
He sat up and sighed. "Lily..."  
  
"If you're just gonna be stupid, w-why don't you just go home!" She sniffed again.  
  
He got to his feet slowly, and walked to her, but she ran out of the room. He sighed and followed her as best he could.  
  
"Lily, come on. I'm sorry, okay? I just... I'm stupid, okay? I'm really, really stupid. And it was stupid, and I'm sorry."  
  
She was crying in full, and sitting on the couch. "You should be sorry."  
  
He sat down next to her and she hugged him and cried more. He sighed. 


	32. Flippage Outtage

Sasha opened up the apartment door to see Jess and Lily sitting on the couch, both fast asleep; Lily with her arms around him.  
  
Rory walked in behind Sasha, and watched as she woke Jess by gripping his shoulder gently. She whispered something to him and he nodded. Rory watched him stretch a little before lifting Lily into his arms and carrying her off to her room.  
  
Sasha smiled at the younger girl. "Come on. Jess said you can take his room."  
  
"Oh," Rory replied drowsily. "No, it's okay. I can take the couch."  
  
Jess came back in and sighed. "No, I'll take the couch."  
  
She looked up at him, and they stared at each other intently.  
  
"I'm gonna head to bed," Sasha told them. "Jess, you know where the extra blankets are?"  
  
Jess nodded, his eyes never leaving Rory.  
  
Sasha looked from one to the other and walked off. "G'night, kids."  
  
When he heard a door close, he sighed. "You didn't have to come."  
  
Rory shrugged. "You sounded upset."  
  
He didn't reply. Instead, he slowly walked to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Sorry about earlier."  
  
She nodded and hugged him back.  
  
*****  
  
Rory woke the next morning to the sound of the front door closing. She got up and dressed, and walked into the kitchen. Waiting for her on the table was a cup of coffee, a greasy-looking plait of food and a note.  
  
Rory-  
  
Morning. Went to take Lily to school, then to the hospital. Didn't want to wake you.  
–Jess  
  
She picked up the note, and turned it over to find a small, legible map, detailing directions on how to get from the apartment to the hospital.  
  
She smiled and sad down to eat.  
  
*****  
  
"I can't believe she did this."  
  
Luke sighed. "Lorelei-"  
  
"Why hasn't she called yet?!" Lorelei cried. She had yet to touch the coffee Luke had set in front of her that afternoon.  
  
"It's only nine AM there, Lorelei."  
  
"She should have called me; she should have asked me for the money. Why did she go straight to my parents?!"  
  
"Maybe because she knows you don't have the money to send her to California and back."  
  
"And my mother is livid!" Lorelei went on. "She had to postpone that party! And you know who she took it out on?! Me! Me. Because my parenting skills suck! Suck, suck, suck! And I'm so worried. What if her plane got hijacked or something?!"  
  
"We would have heard."  
  
"What if she never made it to Jimmy and Sasha's?"  
  
"She'll be fine, Lorelei."  
  
"But what if something happened?!"  
  
Luke sighed. "We woulda heard something."  
  
"Aren't you at all worried?"  
  
"They're fine."  
  
"You're not worried."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"What if Jess had another relapse?"  
  
"You're worrying about Jess, now?"  
  
"...No." Lorelei sighed. "I just wish she would call."  
  
At that moment, Lane came shooting in. "Is it true?"  
  
Luke blinked. "What?"  
  
"Jess freaked out, and ran away again and Rory went on a quest to find him?"  
  
"A... Quest?" Luke asked.  
  
"Miss Patty's words," Lane replied.  
  
"Jess's dad had a heart attack, Lane," Lorelei said. "They went to see him."  
  
"Oh... that's awful," Lane said softly. She snapped a finger at them. "I have to go correct the rumor mill." With that, she ran back out.  
  
*****  
  
Rory walked up to the nurse's desk with her map in hand. "Hi. I'm looking for Jimmy Mariano's room?"  
  
The nurse looked up. "Family?"  
  
"Uh... son's girlfriend?" Rory told her hopefully, trying not to sound too stupid.  
  
The nurse smiled kindly. "143 on the left, Hon."  
  
Rory smiled and thanked the nurse. She walked down the hallway, and passed a waiting room. She stopped when her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of dark hair and leather.  
  
She turned and watched him.  
  
He was slumped in a chair, eyes vacant, arms crossed over his chest. He looked as if he hadn't slept in a few days. She doubted that he'd slept the night before. He'd probably stayed up and just read.  
  
She slowly walked over and sat down next to him.  
  
"Karma's a bitch," he told her quietly.  
  
She got it. Only a few months ago he'd been the one in the hospital bed, and Jimmy had been the one to travel the three-thousand mile distance to be supportive.  
  
"Have you seen him yet?" Rory asked.  
  
Jess shook his head.  
  
"Is he awake?"  
  
Jess shrugged. "I guess."  
  
She kissed him briefly and got to her feet.  
  
*****  
  
"Gramma, Jess called last night," Gloria said as she went through that day's mail.  
  
"Oh?" Sofia asked as she looked over a magazine that had come for her.  
  
"Yeah uhm... Uncle Jimmy had a heart attack."  
  
There was a long silence between them.  
  
Sofia shook her head. "Stupid boy."  
  
Gloria sighed. "Do you want me to try and find their number?"  
  
"No," Sofia replied. "If he wants to talk to me, he'll call."  
  
Gloria nodded, and picked up a thick envelope addressed to her. She held her breath.  
  
******  
  
Jimmy looked confused.  
  
His son's girlfriend had pulled up a seat next to him. His son's girlfriend who was supposed to be back east at some hoity-toity school in New England getting a degree in whatever hoity-toity people get a degree in.  
  
"He's sitting in the waiting room staring at the wall," Rory told him.  
  
He looked surprised. "I can't believe he's here."  
  
Rory sighed. "I think he wants to see you but... I don't think he knows what to do."  
  
Jimmy shook his head. "I can't believe he's here."  
  
"Sasha called him."  
  
He nodded. "I'd like to see him."  
  
Rory nodded back. "I'll see what I can do."  
  
*****  
  
"Jess isn't in town, Liz."  
  
Liz sighed from her hotel room in Chicago. "Well, where is he Luke? In New York?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then where?"  
  
"California."  
  
"California?" Liz asked. "With Jimmy?"  
  
"With Jimmy."  
  
"Wow. That's great!"  
  
"Not so great, Liz."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Luke sighed. "Liz, Jimmy had a heart attack."  
  
She felt silent. What do you say to that?  
  
******  
  
She'd taken him the hand and pulled him to his feet. He hadn't fought. She led him to Jimmy's room and he stopped.  
  
"Come on," she said.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'll screw things up more," he told her.  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"I screw up everything," he went on quietly. "I screwed up you and Dean. I screwed up you and me. I screwed myself up." He pointed a finger at Jimmy's door. "I screwed up things with him, too."  
  
She'd never heard him talk like this. It scared her to see him so vulnerable. His eyes seemed to take a helpless look as he stared at the door.  
  
"Things can be fixed," she told him softly. "You're here. He wants to see you."  
  
"I'm part of the reason why this happened," Jess said abruptly. "He's in here because of me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I coulda just sucked it up and talked to him on the phone, but I..." He trailed off and started to walk off, but she grabbed him by the arm. He stopped and turned to her.  
  
"Please, talk to him."  
  
They stared in silence for a long moment, until he finally nodded, and opened the door.  
  
*****  
  
Her cell phone rang at five that evening on her way home from the Inn. Lorelei pulled her jeep over to the side of the road, and flipped her cell phone on. "Hello."  
  
"Mom. Hey."  
  
"Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to call me?!"  
  
"Mom, I'm really sorry," Rory replied. "Things have been really hectic. Jess is a mess."  
  
"Uh-huh. You know who else is a mess?"  
  
Rory didn't reply.  
  
"Me! How could you do this? You know how I feel about taking money from my parents?!"  
  
"This wasn't about the money, Mom," Rory replied. "Jess is freaking out. If I wasn't here, he'd probably still be stumbling around Venice Beach, really drunk. Really, really drunk."  
  
"Drunk?" Lorelei asked. "How drunk?"  
  
"He smiled. And giggled."  
  
"Oh, no. That's awful!" Lorelei sighed, trying to get back into mom- mode. "When are you coming back?"  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
"May I suggest tomorrow?"  
  
Rory sighed. "I don't know. He really needs me."  
  
"Hey, you have a party to attend," Lorelei told her. "If you don't get back here your grandmother is going to fly herself out there and ring your little neck, no matter how much she loves you."  
  
"I know. I'll... yeah. I'll be back tomorrow," Rory told her. "Mom, I'm really, really sorry."  
  
"It's... it's okay, Rory," Lorelei sighed. "Just talk to me. The least you could have done was call me before you went to them."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Babe."  
  
"Bye, Mom. I love you."  
  
*****  
  
"Why do you have to leave so soon?" Lily asked that afternoon.  
  
Jess, after talking to Jimmy, had come out and announced that they had to go pick Lily up from school. And so they had, and were walking back to the apartment.  
  
Rory sighed. "I have some family stuff to take care of," she told the younger girl.  
  
Lily turned to Jess. "Are you leaving, too?"  
  
Jess shook his head. "I'm gonna stay a few more days to help Jimmy get settled in when he comes home tomorrow night."  
  
Lily nodded.  
  
Rory stole a glance at him, but he kept looking ahead.  
  
*****  
  
"She called?"  
  
Lorelei nodded as she arrived at Luke's for dinner. "She called. Jess is flipping out, apparently."  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Luke sighed.  
  
"He hasn't called you?"  
  
Luke shook his head.  
  
"God, what is wrong with that kid?"  
  
"He'll call," Luke replied.  
  
Lorelei sighed.  
  
******  
  
He leaned against the door of his tiny room, and watched her as she rushed around, gathering up her clothing and books. She was leaving in the morning. He wished that she could stay.  
  
"Have you seen my blue socks?" she asked him, her upper half under the bed. "I can't seem to-"  
  
"I'm staying longer."  
  
She stopped dead. A moment later, she slid out from under the bed and stood up, staring at him. "What?"  
  
"Things are tight here," Jess told her. "Sasha asked me to stay. To help out." He nodded. "I said yes."  
  
She stared more. "For how long?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
"For good?"  
  
He shook his head. "No. I'll be back."  
  
She nodded. "You always are."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We were gonna hang out this summer."  
  
"This is important, Jess," she replied. "These people are your family."  
  
He looked down and shrugged.  
  
"Hey, it's not like we're never gonna see each other again," Rory reassured him. "And we'll write... call... send post cards... fruit baskets..."  
  
He smirked at her. "You don't like fruit."  
  
She smiled. "So send me chocolate."  
  
"Why are you so okay with this?"  
  
She shrugged. "Because. I mean... we've been through worse, haven't we? Comas..."  
  
He nodded. "Dean."  
  
She tilted her head and gave him a slightly annoyed stare. "Shane."  
  
"Your mother."  
  
"Hey, now."  
  
He gave her a smirk, but it slowly faded as silence overcame them and they stared at each other. He sighed. "Listen, Rory, I-"  
  
He didn't get to finish. She'd pulled him by the shirt, and was kissing him deeply. He responded with equal fervor and pulled her closer by the waist. She slid her hands down to the hem of his shirt and began to lift it up, when he pulled away from her slightly.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hmm?" she asked softly. She was still holding the hem of his shirt gently.  
  
He stared at her for a moment, before raising his arms up in the air.  
  
She smiled softly and drew the shirt up and off of him before pulling him into another kiss. He slowly began to back her toward the bed. It was a moment before he realized that not only was he backing her toward the bed, but she was guiding him to it as well.  
  
When they reached the bed, he pulled his lips from hers. He sighed. "Rory, are you su-"  
  
She cut him off again, but this time she placed the palm of her hand over his mouth. "If I wasn't, we wouldn't be doing this."  
  
He nodded, and they kept kissing.  
  
******  
  
Jamie walked into Sofia's apartment that evening, looking a complete mess. But this was nothing new.  
  
Gloria looked up from the book she was reading and rolled her eyes. "Where have you been?"  
  
He shrugged. "Here and there."  
  
"What were you doing?"  
  
"This and that."  
  
Gloria sighed, and held up a thick, manila envelope.  
  
"Wassat?"  
  
"It's an acceptance letter."  
  
Jamie laughed. "Yeah? From where? Clown College?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Whore School?"  
  
"Fuck you."  
  
"Where's it from?"  
  
She held it out to him and he grabbed it and read it.  
  
"Holy shit."  
  
*****  
  
And all they could do was stare.  
  
She pushed a damp lock of hair out of his eyes and he offered her a small smile.  
  
"You're smiling again."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"It's a little disturbing."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Kind of cute, though."  
  
He shrugged again.  
  
They fell back into silence.  
  
"So..." Rory said quietly. "That was..."  
  
"What?"  
  
She couldn't help but to give him a smile.  
  
"What?" he asked, turning more toward her. "Scale of one to ten."  
  
"I don't have anything to go on," she replied with a slight laugh. "This was the first experience."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And what?"  
  
"And how was it?"  
  
"Well, I'm not jumping out of my skin. And I'm not turned away from you in melodramatic anguish. So what does that tell you?"  
  
"Tells me that it wasn't bad."  
  
"Do you think anyone heard us?"  
  
"I don't want to think about that."  
  
"What if they heard us?" Rory asked.  
  
"Is this the part where you jump out of your skin?"  
  
"I think so. I don't wanna get walked in on right after my first time."  
  
"Try getting walked in on during your first time," he muttered.  
  
"I don't think I want to know."  
  
"Good, because I really don't want to tell you."  
  
They lapsed into more silence.  
  
He stared at her. "Don't go."  
  
She stared back. "Don't stay."  
  
She slid closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, and neither said anything else. 


	33. Aftermath

When she woke up the next morning, he wasn't there.  
  
Her initial reaction to this was to panic, but she quickly regained her composure and got up and dressed. When she walked out to the kitchen, she noticed that the clock on the stove read 6:15 am.  
  
Sasha smiled at her as she bustled in. "Hey, Rory."  
  
"Hey, Sasha, where's-?"  
  
"He went for a walk," Sasha replied. "He shouldn't be too long. Your mom called this morning. She said your flight's at 2:40."  
  
Rory nodded. "Thanks." She began to head for the bathroom.  
  
"Hey, Rory?"  
  
She turned back.  
  
"I know it's not fair to you that Jess is staying," Sasha said seriously. "I know it sucks. I'm sorry."  
  
Rory shrugged a little. "I think maybe he would have stayed even if you hadn't asked."  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei watched Luke as he leaned against the counter of the diner with the phone to his ear. "No, it's fine. You got your bases covered? Landlord knows? Connor knows?" He nodded. "Good... no. You do what you gotta do. Yeah. Yeah, I'll... Yeah. Okay. You be good. Oh, shut the hell up." With that, he hung up the phone and sighed as he went back to work.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
Luke nodded. "Jess. He's staying in Venice Beach."  
  
"What?!" Lorelei asked. "Why? He can't stay! He has to be at this party tonight!"  
  
"Sasha asked him to stay to help."  
  
"For how long?" Lorelei asked.  
  
Luke shrugged.  
  
*****  
  
He was kissing her passionately in the middle of the airport. If she wasn't so swept away by him, she would have been embarrassed due to all of the stares they were getting.  
  
She wished he could come through the gate with her.  
  
He pulled his lips from hers finally, and just stared at her.  
  
If she had much less self-control, and was much more animalistic, she would have dragged him into a bathroom and taken him much like she had the night before.  
  
They called her flight number with a few others that would be arriving shortly.  
  
"Have a safe flight."  
  
She nodded. "I'll call you when I get there."  
  
He nodded back.  
  
She started kissing him again, but pulled away quickly. "I have to go."  
  
He nodded, but neither one moved.  
  
"Okay," Rory said. "On the count of three we take two steps back from each other."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
"One... two... three."  
  
They both took two steps back, but their hands held onto each other.  
  
Rory sighed and entwines her fingers with his. "Maybe we should have gotten here earlier..."  
  
*****  
  
Lorelei saw her daughter walk through the airport, and she waved. "Rory!"  
  
Rory looked up and rushed over and hugged her. "Mom!"  
  
"Ugh. I missed you! Don't you ever run off to California without tell me again!"  
  
"I know. I'm sorry."  
  
Lorelei pulled back, and looked her daughter up and down. "Let's see... no visible wounds. No missing teeth. Mental scarring?"  
  
"None."  
  
"Good. Virginity?"  
  
Rory graced her mother with a wide-eyed stare and a red face.  
  
"Oh...Oh... I was kidding..." Lorelei stammered. "Oh, my god. You did?"  
  
Rory turned an even darker shade of red.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
"You... he used a... a... right?"  
  
Rory nodded again.  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Okay. Okay. You need... stuff. The pill and... stuff... we'll... uh... talk. And... stuff. Is he any good?"  
  
"Mom!" Rory's skin was swiftly approaching a shade that was reminiscent of cherry Cool Aid.  
  
"Sorry, sorry," Lorelei replied. She smirked a little and nudged her daughter slightly as they walked out of the airport. "Well?"  
  
Rory couldn't help but smile and turn yet a darker shade of red.  
  
*****  
  
"Want anything?"  
  
"A giant cheeseburger with the works, and fries and onion rings on the side, topped off with a large Coke."  
  
Jess shook his head as he stood over his father's bed. "No can do, Jimmy."  
  
They'd brought him home after filling out all the necessary paperwork and dealing with the doctors and nurses. Jess still hate hospitals with a fiery passion.  
  
Jimmy sighed. "Damn. It's gonna be hell having you back here, isn't it?"  
  
Jess smirked and shrugged.  
  
"Hey," Jimmy said, shifting a little on his bed. "Listen, Sasha and I were talking, and... there are two things we want outta you this summer..."  
  
Jess raised and eyebrow. "Oh?"  
  
"We uh... we want you to get a job..."  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah. That's not the biggest shock in the world. I would have even if you didn't ask."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Jess, we uh... we want you to take classes and get your diploma."  
  
Jess stared at his father, blinking occasionally. "Huh. No."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"No."  
  
"It would mean a lot to-"  
  
"No."  
  
"You either go to school, or you sleep in the kennel closet with the dogs."  
  
Jess glared.  
  
"You're a smart kid, Jess," Jimmy pleaded. "I've seen it. I saw it all last summer. Why waste that?"  
  
"I hate school," Jess replied. "I hate it. Everything they make you read, I've either already read, or don't care to, and all the shit they teach you doesn't make any sense for me to learn. Where the hell am I gonna use any of that crap?!"  
  
"I don't know, Jess," Jimmy snapped. "Somewhere. Jesus Christ, even I got my high school diploma."  
  
"Okay. So I'm pathetic."  
  
"Jess, you're going to school this summer. You're gonna get your high school diploma. After that, I don't care what the hell you do. But you gotta have something."  
  
Jess glared and stormed out.  
  
******  
  
"Wow... you and Jess..."  
  
Rory nodded as she sat across from Lane in her apartment. "Jess and I."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How was it?"  
  
Rory turned red. "It..." she sighed. "It was amazing."  
  
Lane laughed. "How many times?"  
  
"Oh, my god! Lane!"  
  
"What?!" the other girl cried. "It's a valid question!"  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
"So?"  
  
Rory held up three fingers.  
  
"Whoa!" Lane cried. "You guys are like... bunnies! Literate bunnies!"  
  
"Oh, my god."  
  
"I mean... wow... Dave and I only did it once."  
  
Rory's eyes widened at her best friend. "You and Dave? You and Dave? Why didn't you tell me?!"  
  
"You were in California!" Lane cried. "Having sex with Jess!"  
  
There was silence.  
  
"So..." Rory said. "There's a chance that we could have been having sex at the exact same time."  
  
More silence.  
  
"That's kinda cool," Lane commented. "Yet, so, so very creepy."  
  
Rory nodded in agreement.  
  
*****  
  
"She got home safe?"  
  
Lorelei nodded as she watched Luke fill Kirk's coffee. "Yup."  
  
Luke walked behind the counter and she turned to face him.  
  
"She's okay?"  
  
"Yup," Lorelei repeated. "She had sex."  
  
Luke nodded and turned around to pull something off the shelf, seemingly not hearing her. "That's ni- ... She what?"  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
Luke was speechless.  
  
"With Jess."  
  
Luke cringed.  
  
"She said it was good."  
  
"Lorelei!"  
  
Lane walked by with a couple of plates. "Three times," she whispered.  
  
"OH MY GOD!" Luke yelled. "I... I have to go upstairs." He stalked up the stairs to the sound of Lorelei and Lane laughing.  
  
Rory walked over and raised an eyebrow at her two best friends. "What's funny?"  
  
Both whirled around, looking slightly guilty.  
  
"Nothing," Lane replied quickly. "Nothing at all."  
  
"Good... because I wouldn't want to walk in on either of you making fun of me... especially you, Lane... whom I now have the exact same dirt on that you have on me..."  
  
Lane turned red.  
  
Lorelei stared in shock. "You and Dave?"  
  
Lane blinked. "I have to work." She rushed off with the plates.  
  
Lorelei turned to Rory, who sat down. "Lane and Dave?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Lane and Dave."  
  
"Oh... that's so creepy."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Rory replied. "Where's Luke?"  
  
Luke rushed back down the stairs, saw Rory and almost ran back up the stairs.  
  
"Uh... Luke?"  
  
He whirled around. "Yeah... Rory... Hi, Rory. Rory, how are you? Do I have to kill Jess? Because when he comes back, I'm going to need him around here."  
  
Rory's eyes widened and she turned to Lorelei. "You told him?!"  
  
"It was a joke!" Lorelei cried. "I just wanted to make him feel uncomfortable."  
  
"At my expense!"  
  
"It was funny!"  
  
Rory sighed. "Luke."  
  
"Yeah?" He was turned around.  
  
"You're not gonna be able to look me in the eye for a while, are you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Can I have a job?"  
  
Luke whirled around. "Huh?"  
  
Lorelei stared at her daughter.  
  
"I... I need a summer job," Rory confessed. "And I know you're shorthanded now that Jess is all the way... way... way..." She sighed as she thought about just how far it was. "Way out there... and I was wondering..."  
  
Luke blinked. "Uh... Yeah. Yeah, of course. Sure. Stop by tomorrow and we'll work stuff out with hours and wages, okay?"  
  
"Ah. No can do on tomorrow," Lorelei replied. "She's got a party to go to. And so do you, if I remember my invitation list correctly."  
  
Luke sighed. "Yeah. Day after tomorrow then."  
  
Rory smiled. "Thanks, Luke."  
  
He nodded. "No problem."  
  
*****  
  
"So, how is it?"  
  
Rory leaned over the balcony of her grandparent's house, looking out at the trees. "It's... well, it's very nice," she stated matter-of-factly into her cell phone.  
  
"You hate it."  
  
"It's too nice," Rory admitted. "And it's missing something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You."  
  
She could hear Jess smirk. "I'd convince you to climb out a window to go partying up in New York with me."  
  
"Exactly!" Rory cried. "And I'd say no partying, because you scare me when you're drunk, and then we'd compromise and sit in the car and read the entire night."  
  
He sighed. "We're becoming predictable."  
  
"That's okay," Rory replied. "As long as we're predictable together."  
  
"Yeah," he replied. "I'm sorry I'm not there."  
  
"That's okay. Jamie's here. I'm pretty sure he spiked the punch. You should see my grandmother."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"She's hitting on Dave."  
  
Jess laughed maniacally. "Oh, that's just too good. Don't suppose I could get a picture of that?"  
  
"Mom's got it covered."  
  
"Good old Lorelei," Jess snickered.  
  
"How's your dad?"  
  
"Adjusting, still," Jess replied. "He's pretty depressed that he has to cut back his diet so much."  
  
"Yeah, I'd probably die if I had to do that," Rory nodded. "Is Lily okay?"  
  
"Yeah, she's much better now that Jimmy's back," he told her. "She's been waiting on him hand and foot."  
  
"She's the good sibling," Rory joked.  
  
"And I'm evil, I know, I know."  
  
She laughed a little. "I like you that way, though. So that's okay."  
  
She heard him smirk.  
  
"Oh. So everybody thinks it's either incredibly funny or incredibly disturbing that you and I had sex."  
  
Jess shook his head and shifted himself a little on his bed in Venice Beach. "I still can't believe you tell people."  
  
Rory smiled. "Some people I didn't even have to tell."  
  
"Yeah, other people told them."  
  
"Nope. Paris? She knew on site."  
  
"How?" Jess asked, sounding bewildered.  
  
"I don't know," Rory replied, just as bewildered. "She just looked at me and went 'Oh my god! You had sex! Mary had sex!' I had to keep her outside until she overcame the shock."  
  
Jess laughed a little. "God. Now I really want you."  
  
"So get over here and take me, Dodger," she blurted out. She instantly turned red, even though no one except Jess heard her.  
  
"I would, but Jimmy's calling me for something or other," Jess replied with a slightly bitter edge to his voice.  
  
"Maybe tomorrow."  
  
He nodded. "Maybe."  
  
*****  
  
Emily sighed as she watched her granddaughter talk on her cell phone through the balcony doors. "Lorelei, tell Rory to get in here. She's being very rude to her guests."  
  
Lorelei sighed. "Let her have a few more minutes, Mom. It's important." 


	34. Notes from the Underground

A/N: These are various letters. Not all of them come right after the other, so don't be surprised if they're slightly disjointed.  
  
A/N #2: Sonnet #27. Everybody go look it up. It's awesome. *sigh*  
  
Dear Jess,  
  
Hellooooo from Stars Hollow! I know you said you aren't too great with written correspondence, but I thought it would be fun to at least try.  
  
You know most of what's been going on around here, because we just spoke last night. I am now a full-fledged employee of Luke's Diner. It's actually really fun. I mean, as much fun as food service can be. I get to talk to Lane constantly and I get all the free coffee I want. And Caesar isn't that bad.  
  
Mom is good. The Inn is almost up and running. They're just putting the finishing touches on. You know, moving furniture in and everything. It's really exciting! Mom's so happy.  
  
I'm sure you've heard that Gloria got a full scholarship to Yale. Isn't that amazing?! I had lunch with her the other day and she's so excited. She says that Jamie is kind of sad that she won't be around though. Your grandmother is so proud though. You should call them (hint, hint). I'm trying to work out the dorming situations so that we're at least close to each other.  
  
Anyways, I'm supposed to go to help Mom out at the Inn. I hope things are going okay over there.  
  
I love you!  
  
Rory.  
  
******  
  
Rory-  
  
I'm glad that the diner is working out for you. Chances are Luke treats you (coughpaysyoucouch) better than he did me. At least someone gets a kick out of Lane's incessant babble. And Caesar is that bad, you're just too nice to everyone to notice. I got a job working at a poster shop on the boardwalk. It's kind of cool... but boring. It's quiet, except for the noisy teens who wander in. Whatever.  
  
I'm glad the Inn is coming along. Tell Lorelei congrats, and I promise I won't deface it too badly when I get back.  
  
Yes, Gloria called me screaming her head off about Yale. She's insane. And don't worry about Jamie. He'll probably start hanging around your dorm if you wind up rooming with Gloria.  
  
If he lays a finger on you I'm flying back there to kill him.  
  
Love Jess.  
  
******  
  
Dear Jess,  
  
I miss you.  
  
I really, really, really, really miss you.  
  
I really, really, really, really, really, really, really miss you.  
  
I could go on, but my hand is getting tired.  
  
I wish you were here. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to call. I've been helping Mom at the Inn when I'm not working at Luke's. It's been so crazy! People want to stay at the Inn! Mom, Sookie and Michel are thrilled beyond belief!  
  
Enclosed are pictures of the Inn, and My Grandmother hitting on one Dave Rygalski. Poor boy. I also found a couple of pictures Mom took of us the day you got out of the hospital, and I thought you might like a few. Just so you don't forget what I look like.  
  
I love you!  
  
Rory.  
  
******  
  
Rory-  
  
Thank you for the fruit basket. I'm told my face upon receiving it was "damned funny." Or at least that's what Sasha said.  
  
So get this. Jimmy has been sneaking McDonalds French fries. So guess who has to stay overnight in the hospital again? Jesus. My father's an idiot.  
  
Other than that things are alright. Lily talked me into joining this literary discussion group with her. It's kind of lame, but she enjoys it, so I grin and bear. There's this girl in it that's been trying to hit on me, but she's got the IQ of...well... Shane. As far as I can tell, she thinks she's well read, but Pat the Bunny is number one on her top ten favorite books, followed closely by The Babysitter's Club series, and Goodnight Moon. Not to say that Goodnight Moon isn't quality, but shit! She's never even heard of Salinger, and I think she's under the impression that Vonnegut is an ingredient in a Snickers bar...  
  
Liz called here, to check on me. I guess Luke gave her the number. The look on Sasha's face when she handed me the phone was awful. She looked like she wanted to claw my mother's eyes out.  
  
I talked to Liz for a little. It was kind of weird. She's in Seattle now. Still with that weird Etch-e-Sketch guy, TJ. They're happy. He's still an idiot, and she's still a flake, but they're happy. They want to come down and see me. I don't know.  
  
I feel weird being here. I miss you. Jimmy and I are still kind of weird around each other. Sasha's been good though. She kind of treats me like she treats Lily, now. Like her kid, or something, I guess. I don't know. I reiterate, it's weird.  
  
I miss you. Again with the reiteration. But it's true. I think just over half my thoughts are of you. You ever read Shakespeare's sonnets? Look up #27. That's just about how I'm feeling right now. I'm not kidding. And I know that's really mushy and you're probably gonna laugh or whatever, but that's pretty much it.  
  
Thanks for the pictures, by the way. Good god, your grandmother is a weird-looking when she's drunk. And poor, poor Dave. He looks horror- stricken. The Inn looks great. I look like shit in the pictures of us, but you look great. That's normal, though.  
  
Love Jess  
  
PS: This is probably the longest letter I've ever written to anyone. Feel proud.  
  
******  
  
Dear Jess,  
  
Alright. First of all: The sonnet? I'm melting. Literally. I'm sitting here on my couch, melting. Mom's gonna have to come home and mop me up. No laughing here. Just completely melting. I love you.  
  
Do I have to fly out there and bust some ill-read ass? Miss. Pat the Bunny better keep her ill-read hands off of you. Mine.  
  
That's funky that Liz called. Although, here's an entertaining thought: Liz vs. Sasha for the title of Jess's Mom. Ha.  
  
I think you should go and see your mom. It'd be cool if you could reconnect with her the way you (sort of?) have with Jimmy. I know it's hard. I still have trouble talking to my dad. He came to visit the other week. He met Jason, who looked about ready to break out into hives upon seeing him. Something about summer camp. No idea.  
  
The nerve of Jimmy sneaking unhealthy food. He didn't even get anything good. Fries. Amateur. I'm sorry he's back in the hospital. I hope he's alright by the time this gets to you.  
  
I miss you, too. I want you to come home. I wanna watch movies with you and talk to you for endless hours about books. I want to read on the bridge with you. I want to walk into the diner and see you looking bored behind the counter. I want kisses! And other, more intimate things that I refuse to list in this letter! I want you to annoy my grandmother, and make Taylor's head spin around the little girl's did in The Exorcist. That's how much I miss you.  
  
I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to turn into a guilt trip. I think I'm just now realizing that this is really hard. All I have are letters and pictures and memories. I want more. I want you. Now. I want my Artful Dodger.  
  
I love you.  
  
Rory.  
  
*****  
  
Rory-  
  
Saw Liz and TJ. It was... interesting, I guess. We walked around the boardwalk mostly. Talked a little I don't know. It was awkward. It's always awkward. She's acting like she cares, which has been a new thing with her. I mean, I guess she always cared, but she's never shown it too much. It's hard to connect.  
  
And no. You don't have to fly out to protect me against Miss. Pat the Bunny. Lily yelled at her. It was entertaining.  
  
Liz walked me up to the apartment. Sasha gave her a death glare. I think she's kind of... I don't know. It's weird.  
  
Jimmy's doing better. He's back home. Sasha threatened him, so I don't think he'll be eating French fries again any time soon.  
  
I want to come home. But I'm needed here. I'm sorry. This is hard for me, too.  
  
Love  
  
Jess 


	35. The Autumn Leaves

October  
  
"RORY!!!"  
  
Rory sighed as she tried to get through her homework. "Yeah?!"  
  
"HAVE YOU SEEN MY LIPSTICK?!"  
  
Rory gave another sigh. "No! Did you try asking Paris?!"  
  
"No..."  
  
Rory sighed. She'd been really excited when she'd gotten the news that Gloria would be attending Yale with her. She'd gotten a full scholarship, so the money wasn't a problem, as long as she was on her best behavior. This was not always easy for the New Yorker. She partied a lot, and fought a lot, but her grades were top-notch.  
  
Rory had taken charge of her dorm arrangements, promising Paris that they would at least be in the same suite again, and promising Gloria the same. And so it had been the three of them, plus Tanna.  
  
Things had been going... well... as well as could be expected.  
  
When Paris and Gloria had met at her end of the year party about five months prior, it hadn't been a pretty sight. Gloria had called Paris a "Hoity-toity Rich Girl." Paris had been no better, calling the darker- haired girl "City Trash."  
  
This had resulted in Paris receiving a black eye.  
  
"Did I forget to tell you?" Jess had said over the phone from California after the incident. "Gloria was a boxing champ back in high school."  
  
Of course, Paris had fought back, using her nails to dig giant craters in the skin on Gloria's arms.  
  
What was it with Marianos and Gellars?  
  
Mariano.  
  
Jess.  
  
She sighed.  
  
He was still in California. Lily had begged him to stay when he'd been ready to leave at the end of the summer, and he'd given in and promised another month or so. At this rate Rory wondered if she'd ever see him again.  
  
The thought of him permanently staying in California made her a little queasy, and so she tried to concentrate on her homework.  
  
*****  
  
"So, Rory, your birthday is coming up," Richard said smiling at his granddaughter of Friday dinner. "What would you like?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "I don't know yet, Grandpa," she replied absently, playing with her food.  
  
Lorelei frowned a little at her daughter. She knew what she really wanted for her birthday.  
  
"So, how is Jess?" Emily asked.  
  
"Fine," Rory replied, her voice still slightly distant.  
  
Emily put her fork down when she'd finished eating. "He must really love California."  
  
"Not really," Rory told her.  
  
"Well, when is he coming back?"  
  
"We don't know yet, Mom," Lorelei replied.  
  
"Is he coming back?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yup. He's coming back. He always comes back."  
  
Emily sighed. "What if he doesn't come back?"  
  
"He's coming back," Rory repeated. "He promised me."  
  
"Well, I'm under the impression that this boy has broken promises to you before."  
  
"Mom, don't," Lorelei said gently. "This isn't a good-"  
  
"Grandma, he's coming back," Rory said calmly. "He wouldn't just not come back."  
  
Emily sighed. "I just don't want to see you hurt."  
  
Rory got up abruptly. "Excuse me. I need the bathroom."  
  
As she walked off, the three adults glanced worriedly at each other.  
  
*****  
  
"Lily, he can't stay here forever."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Sasha sighed. "He's not happy here, Honey. He needs to go home."  
  
"He is home."  
  
Jimmy sighed. "Lily, your mom's right. Jess is unhappy. He hasn't said more than two words in three days."  
  
It was true. The more time Jess spent in California, the quieter he became. Jimmy knew it had nothing to with them. Jess just missed the East. And Rory. Especially Rory. He couldn't stay, and both Jimmy and Sasha knew it.  
  
"So?"  
  
The two adults gave each other a glance.  
  
"I'll talk to him about it tomorrow," Jimmy said.  
  
*****  
  
"So then Dave was completely like 'well, why don't we make it an F?' And then Brian was like-"  
  
Luke groaned. "Lane, stop talking!"  
  
Rory snickered and walked over to Kirk. "Know what you want yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Know what you want yet?"  
  
Kirk glared. "No."  
  
Rory smiled. "Know what you want yet?"  
  
"No!"  
  
Lane giggled and watched.  
  
"Know what you want yet?"  
  
"Pancakes!" Kirk yelled in anger. "God!"  
  
Rory gave him an even wider smile. "Coming right up."  
  
Luke shook his head as he watched Rory trot back to the kitchen to talk to Caesar. "Gotta teach Jess that trick when he gets back."  
  
"If," Kirk corrected.  
  
"He's coming back," Lane said.  
  
Kirk snorted. "Sure he is."  
  
*****  
  
"Those things will kill you, y'know."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes as he lit his cigarette. "Sure, Jimmy, Like you're one to talk."  
  
"When're you gonna cut the 'Jimmy' crap and start calling me dad?"  
  
"When you figure out a way to go back in time and stop yourself from abandoning me... Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy sighed as he sat next to his son outside the apartment building. "Alright. Yeah, I deserved that."  
  
Jess nodded and exhaled some smoke.  
  
"Listen, Jess... Thank you... for staying so long. I know you're real homesick and...well... thanks."  
  
Jess merely nodded.  
  
Jimmy sighed. "I'm... I'm doing a lot better, and... Sasha and I want you to go home... that is... if you want to... we're not... kicking you out or anything, we like having you around. If you wanna stay, that's fine."  
  
Jess sighed. "I wanna go home, Jimmy."  
  
Jimmy nodded and gripped Jess's shoulder. "You got it."  
  
******  
  
"I think he's really depressed, Luke."  
  
Luke gave his phone a bewildered look. "Liz, I just talked to him a couple of days ago. He's fine."  
  
"But I saw him a couple of months ago," Liz pleaded. "And I think he was really unhappy."  
  
"Well, if he wants to come home, he'll come home."  
  
"No, he won't because he feels obligated to stay."  
  
Luke sat down on his couch. "You're jealous."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You're jealous that Jess is getting along better with Jimmy than he is with you."  
  
"No."  
  
"You're jealous that he gets along better with Sasha than he does with you."  
  
"Ugh!"  
  
"You are," Luke laughed.  
  
"She's creepy."  
  
"You only say that because Jess likes her better."  
  
"He does not!" Liz cried. "I'm his mother."  
  
"Only technically."  
  
Click.  
  
Luke frowned as he heard a dial tone. "Hey!"  
  
******  
  
Jess had been sitting against Lily's door for the better part of an hour. He'd told her that he was going home. She hadn't taken the news well.  
  
"I can't stay here forever!" he called.  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"Because my home is back east!" He explained. "My girlfriend is back east. My jobs. My apartment."  
  
"You can find a new girlfriend here, you have a job here, and you live here!"  
  
"I'm going home, Lily."  
  
She swung open her door, and he fell back and hit the floor. She looked down at him angrily. "You are home."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"Lily!" Jess cried back. "I gave you one more month, and it's up. I'm going home."  
  
"You were supposed to stay here!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes up at her. "No."  
  
"Please?" She asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Jeeessssss!!"  
  
He sat up, got to his feet and walked off. She glared after him and slammed the door.  
  
******  
  
"All I'm saying is that maybe they should take a break," Emily said.  
  
"If you think about it, we're already on a break," Rory commented. "He's there, I'm here."  
  
"And who knows if he's coming back," Emily added.  
  
"He's coming back," Rory replied.  
  
"It's been five months," Emily said.  
  
"Almost," Rory nodded. "Not quite, but almost."  
  
Lorelei sighed as she sat in her parents' dining room. "New topic."  
  
"Yes, please," Richard nodded. "Rory, how is school?"  
  
******  
  
Jess was caught off guard when Sasha pulled him into a tight hug. "Have a safe flight, Kid."  
  
"Uh..." he hugged back tentatively. "Thanks."  
  
She let him go and smiled, and he looked to Jimmy.  
  
"So uh... bye."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Thanks for everything, Jess."  
  
Jess nodded, and they shook hands briefly before Jimmy pulled him into a hug with lasted all of about ten seconds.  
  
Afterwards, they stared at each other, and Jess cleared his throat and looked to Lily.  
  
"Bye, Lily."  
  
She didn't reply. She didn't even look at him.  
  
He sighed. "Okay. I gotta go. I'll uh... I guess I'll call when I get there."  
  
******  
  
Rory frowned as she and her mother reached their front porch after dinner that evening. "What if Grandma's right?"  
  
Lorelei stopped behind her daughter, who turned to her. "About what?"  
  
"About... what if Jess really isn't coming back?"  
  
Lorelei's look softened. "Oh, Babe. Of course he's coming back. He wouldn't do that to you."  
  
Would he? Lorelei had her doubts. Jess had pulled this kind of thing before, and it had been five months. As much as she hated to admit it, her mother did have a point.  
  
Scary thought, that; Emily having a point. Lorelei almost shuddered from it.  
  
Rory nodded. "I know. He didn't send a letter this week, and he never misses a weekly letter."  
  
"Maybe it's late."  
  
Rory nodded, seeming to relax just a little. "You're probably right. It's just late." She walked forward and hugged Lorelei. "Love you, Mom."  
  
Lorelei smiled. "Love you, too, Gilmore." She glanced over her daughter's shoulder, and saw exactly what her daughter wanted most for her birthday. She smiled, all thoughts of her mother being right seeping from her mind. She let go and smiled at Rory. "I'm gonna go in, okay?"  
  
Rory nodded and smiled. "I'm gonna sit for a while."  
  
Lorelei nodded. "Good. Happy birthday, Sweets."  
  
"Thanks, Mom."  
  
The older Gilmore smiled and walked into the house, closing the door, but leaving it unlocked.  
  
Rory sighed as she sat on the front stoop, looking out. She wondered what Jess was doing. Where he was. If he was alright. What if something horrible had happened? What if he'd been abducted by mutant space goats?  
  
Mutant space goats?  
  
She'd been studying too hard at school.  
  
Still.... Mutant space goats?  
  
She didn't even notice him walk up to her.  
  
He merely stared down at her. Her eyes glazed over in thought. She'd grown her hair out again, and she seemed slightly longer, a little more mature.  
  
It had been five months.  
  
He felt like it'd been years. He'd missed her like hell.  
  
He took the haphazardly wrapped package out from under his arm and held it out to her.  
  
She looked up at him, shock in her eyes.  
  
He smirked at her. "Happy birthday. Miss me?"  
  
She slowly got to her feet, still staring in shock.  
  
"What?" he asked. "Is there something on my face?"  
  
"There will be," she replied softly. She took the box from him and dropped it on the ground before taking him by the shoulders and dragging him into the most passionate kiss she could.  
  
******  
  
Lorelei hadn't heard them walk in. Lorelei hadn't heard them shuffle into Rory's room, and Lorelei hadn't heard any of what followed.  
  
Afterward, they were curled up in bed, holding onto each other for dear life.  
  
She sniffed softly and let a couple of tears fall, staining his bare shoulder.  
  
He pulled back from her slightly. "Hey." He gently wiped a couple of her tears away with his thumbs. "What's with this?"  
  
She sniffed again. "I'm just really, really happy to see you."  
  
He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
  
******  
  
"Oh, thank god!" Luke cried as Jess sauntered into the diner the next morning, holding Rory's hand. He turned to Rory. "You're fired." He turned to Jess. "You're hired."  
  
Rory blinked. "Hey!"  
  
Luke sighed. "I'm sorry; Rory, but I can't take it anymore. You and Lane just... don't stop talking. At least Jess can shut up for two seconds."  
  
Rory pouted.  
  
"And you've got studying to do!" Luke pointed out loudly. "You shouldn't be wasting your time here."  
  
She seemed to take this in thoughtfully. "Do ex-employees still get free coffee?"  
  
Luke smirked. "Yeah."  
  
Rory smiled and sat at the counter as Jess walked behind it and got her some coffee.  
  
Luke sighed as he walked into the kitchen, and walked back out with a chocolate cake, which he placed in front of Rory. "Happy birthday. Caesar was supposed to get your balloons but he had the sudden urge to suck the helium out of them."  
  
Rory laughed. "Thanks, Luke. Hi, Caesar!"  
  
"Hi!" came a high-pitched version of Caesar's voice.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes.  
  
Rory gave him a brilliant smile, and he seemed to remember something. He pulled a rolled up piece of paper out of his back pocket and handed it to Luke.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"Open it."  
  
Luke unrolled it, studied it, and then glared at Jess. "Not funny."  
  
"Not meant to be funny."  
  
"Still not funny."  
  
Rory leaned over to look. "What is it?"  
  
Luke handed it to her and she looked it over.  
  
"Oh, my god. Jess!"  
  
"What?"  
  
She looked up at him. "This is a diploma."  
  
"So, it is," he replied.  
  
"You didn't mention you were going to school," Rory said. "Not once, in any of your letters did you tell me that."  
  
"I didn't?"  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
"Huh."  
  
She stared at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You graduated," she stated.  
  
"How do you know that thing isn't a fake?" Luke asked.  
  
Rory hefted the scroll a little, and sniffed it. "It's real."  
  
Both men stared at her.  
  
"You freak," Jess said.  
  
"Blame Paris," Rory replied. "It was all in the responsibility of being Vice President. Had to sniff out fakes."  
  
"There were fakes?" Luke asked.  
  
"No. But you know Paris."  
  
"So..." Luke said, turning to Jess. "You ah... you graduated."  
  
Jess nodded. "Jimmy told me that if I didn't, he was gonna call my grandmother."  
  
"He was going to sic Sofia on you?" Rory asked. "That's low."  
  
"This is Jimmy we're talking about," Jess reminded her. "Anyways, I went to classes, sat through boring-assed lectures, all for a worthless piece of paper and a thing on my permanent record that says I'm a high school graduate."  
  
Rory smiled and studied the paper again.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "It's not a big deal."  
  
"Yes, it is," Luke said forcefully. "Sit. Rory, share your cake with Jess."  
  
Rory looked slightly offended. "Hey. It's my birthday. It's my cake."  
  
"Sookie is probably preparing you three more as we speak," Luke pointed out. "Share with the graduate."  
  
"I don't want any cake."  
  
"Oh, yes you do," Luke replied. "Sit. Now."  
  
Jess glared.  
  
Luke glared back.  
  
Rory smiled. "I missed this so much."  
  
*****  
  
Rory, of course, was the center of attention, seeing as it was her birthday. Unfortunately, since he was the boyfriend, he was pulled halfway into the spotlight along with her.  
  
Everyone had been surprised to see him. Some showed horrified surprise (Taylor), some showed mild, disinterested shock (Kirk), and some were almost happy to he him (Jamie and Gloria, who'd driven in).  
  
Not that any of that mattered.  
  
He was sitting on the couch, with her on his lap. She was talking to the mass amount of people around her, opening presents, and listening to stories. He said nothing, only listened to the somewhat organized chaos around him, and played with the end of the pink feather boa that was wrapped securely around her neck.  
  
He wondered if he could squeeze himself back into her life. He wondered if maybe she was better off with him in California. He wondered if Lily would ever forgive his leaving.  
  
His wondering was interrupted when she slid off of his lap and next to him and cuddled into his side as she listened to Babette tell some wild, fast-paced story.  
  
"Having fun?" she whispered.  
  
Jess gave a slight shrug. "What's fun?"  
  
She smirked and reached up and kissed his jaw and went back to listening.  
  
******  
  
They sat on the bridge after the party had ended that night. They'd been excused from the clean-up when Jess had voiced a desire to light a fire in one of the many trash cans.  
  
This, or course, was all part of an ingenious ploy of his. He knew they'd never send him off on his own. What if he'd gone back to his terrible Jess-like ways while in California? He needed a chaperone. And who better to keep his mind off of mischief-making than his girlfriend?  
  
And she had yet to open his present.  
  
He put the package in her lap. "You were supposed to open this last night."  
  
She blushed a little at the thought of the previous night's activities, although he couldn't see it. "I was busy... opening something else," she replied almost inaudibly.  
  
"Open it," Jess told her.  
  
She nodded and ripped it open, and pulled the top off of the box to reveal a heavy-looking leather jacket. She pulled it out. "Wow... Jess..."  
  
He shrugged. "It's gonna start getting cold around here soon... thought it might be useful or... something..." he rambled a little. "If you don't like it, I can-"  
  
She cut him off by kissing him briefly. "I love it. Thank you."  
  
He smirked and nodded. "Happy birthday." 


	36. Goody Yay

A/N: Some of the stuff in the following chapters is based on spoilers from upcoming season 4 episodes. I was totally enchanted. If you'd like to see what I'm talking about, go to Gilmoregirls.org and go spoiler whoring like I did.  
  
A/N #2: I keep trying to get to the Literati Songlist page, with all the songs that pertain to the couple, but I think it went bye-bye. Does anyone know if it ran off anywhere, or have the list of songs that were there? Lemme know! Trumpetlee@aol.com. Thanks  
  
A/N #3: I had some problems with the chapter, so if it really blows, I'm sorry.  
  
Jess walked into Connor's Books and looked around to see that nothing had changed. The old man sat at the counter, reading Asimov and muttering to himself, as always.  
  
He walked up to the counter and sighed. "Hey, Connor."  
  
The old man lowered his book and glared. "You're late for work."  
  
Jess nodded. "Sorry."  
  
******  
  
Rory followed Gloria into the hole-in-the-wall gym that evening. It had a small boxing ring, a few weight machines, and a row of punching bags. Free weights sat in a corner with a couple of benches, and a few mats were laid out at the other end.  
  
"What are we doing here?" Rory asked, looking around.  
  
"Jamie works here," Gloria replied. "And Grandpa Frankie used to work here, when he wasn't at his bookshop."  
  
"Your grandpa owned a bookshop? That's awesome."  
  
Gloria nodded. She set her gym bag down and shed her coat, revealing a back tank top that matched her black sweat pants.  
  
Rory set her backpack down. Gloria had promised Jamie she'd visit him at work, and wanted some company. Paris had refused outright, and Tanna had shyly declined, leaving Rory. Not that she minded. Maybe it would help her piece together a little more of Jess's former city life.  
  
Speaking of Jess.  
  
There he was, fists wrapped in tape or cloth of some kind, standing in the boxing ring. His hair was matted to his forehead with sweat, and he wore a pair of gray sweatpants with a thin-looking, dark green t-shirt. Across from him in the ring was Jamie, standing tall, as always, his wrists wrapped my like Jess's, his blond hair slicked back with sweat, wearing blue sweatpants and no shirt at all.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
His head whipped around to look at her. "Rory?"  
  
Jamie smirked and slugged Jess in the stomach while he wasn't looking. Jess heaved and glared up at his best friend.  
  
"You little shit."  
  
Jamie laughed as he evaded one of Jess's punches. "I wouldn't be talking, Shorty."  
  
Rory cringed as she watched them.  
  
Gloria snickered and hopped into the ring after wrapping her fists up. She tapped Jess on the shoulder. "Go kiss your girlfriend hello. I wanna hit something."  
  
Jamie looked like a dear in the headlights of a Mac truck when Jess smirked and left Gloria to her own devices.  
  
Rory looked worriedly at Jess as he approached her. "You're bleeding."  
  
He shrugged. "It happens." He leaned in and kissed her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Gloria asked me to come," Rory replied. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Connor got sick of me and told me to go home early," Jess replied. "Thought I'd stop by." He sniffed a little and wiped his bloody nose with his arm.  
  
"Stop by and get your butt kicked?" Rory asked, wrinkling her nose as she watched him.  
  
"I'll have you know I was winning before you showed up," he told her.  
  
She smiled. "Well, if I'm such bad luck, maybe I'll just go away." She began to walk off, but he grabbed her arm, and she turned back and smiled at him.  
  
"You wanna learn how to fight?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nope. I'm happy just sitting around, getting homework done while you guys bleed."  
  
"Come on," he smirked, getting into a fighting stance. "Hit me."  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I don't hit people," she replied. "I can't hit people, I'm a wussy."  
  
They heard a thud from behind them, and both turned to see Gloria standing over Jamie's fallen body.  
  
"Who was it that said 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'?" Rory asked.  
  
Jess shook his head. "Whoever it was wasn't kidding."  
  
"So, Gloria said your grandfather worked here," Rory said, suddenly changing the subject.  
  
Jess nodded. "He was a boxing instructor here when he wasn't at the bookshop."  
  
"You didn't tell me he owned a book store," Rory said.  
  
"You didn't ask," he replied.  
  
"Did he teach you how to fight?" Rory asked, ignoring his reply.  
  
Jess nodded. "Yup."  
  
"Jess!" Gloria cried. "Get up here! You're next!"  
  
Rory's eyes widened. "Don't go up there, she'll kill you."  
  
"I can handle it," he replied. "Grab a chair and get some homework done. You wanna go grab dinner after this?"  
  
"Only if you shower first."  
  
He smirked and saluted her before hopping into the ring with Gloria.  
  
******  
  
"What are we fighting about?"  
  
"We're not fighting," Jason replied. "We're not. I just... how often do we even see each other anymore, Lorelei?"  
  
She sighed. "I don't know. You're busy, I'm busy. You've got the company, and I've got The Inn. We make due with the time we have."  
  
"This isn't working," Jason said. "It just isn't. I mean, look at us. We don't even connect anymore. It's almost like we've been completely avoiding each other for months."  
  
She didn't reply.  
  
"I think it might be time to end this."  
  
******  
  
She sighed as she watched him bustle around his apartment, throwing clothing on.  
  
"Where are we going for dinner?" Rory asked, watching as he pulled his shoes on.  
  
"My grandmother's," he replied. He looked at her questioningly "Is that okay?"  
  
She nodded and smiled. "You know you're grandma and I get along really well."  
  
He snorted. "Only when she's showing you my naked baby photos."  
  
"You were a cute naked baby!"  
  
He gave her a sideways glance with a smirk. "And now?"  
  
"You're not a baby, anymore."  
  
"But I'm known to be naked on occasion," he pointed out.  
  
She said nothing in response, only turned red. He kissed her cheek affectionately before getting up to shove his wallet into his back pocket.  
  
She watched him interestedly, and almost didn't hear her cell phone ring. She snapped out of her stare, and answered it. "Hello? Mom? What? Oh, no... Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry... yeah... Of course! I'll be right there. Okay. See you soon. Okay, hang in there." She hung up the phone and sighed. "Dinner's off."  
  
Jess gave her a sideways glance.  
  
"Jason broke up with Mom."  
  
*****  
  
"I knew it. I knew it. I never liked him."  
  
Lorelei sighed at Friday dinner the next night. "Mom... it's... we'd been drifting apart for a while..." She shrugged. "Maybe it really was time."  
  
Emily shook her head. "Well, I don't like it."  
  
Richard sighed. "It's been murder on our partnership."  
  
Lorelei frowned. "I'm really sorry. I didn't expect it. I guess it just kind of happened. He has the company, and a crazy assortment of clients, and I've got the Inn-"  
  
"And the diner man," Emily added.  
  
Rory blinked and gave her grandmother an odd look.  
  
Lorelei did the same. "Excuse me?"  
  
Emily sighed. "Oh, nothing."  
  
Richard cleared his throat. "So, Rory. Now that Jess is back, how would you like to bring him for lunch one day to browse through the study?"  
  
Rory smiled. "Oh, wow, Grandpa, that'd be great."  
  
"What day would be alright?"  
  
"Uhm... Probably a weekend. Maybe Saturday," Rory replied. "He'd have to make sure Luke would give him the time off... well... then again..." She shook her head out, deciding not to mention that Jess actually asked for time off, merely informed his uncle with phrases such as "I'm not coming in tomorrow," or "Breaking. Bye."  
  
"Well, what about tomorrow?" Richard asked. "I'm free, and I would love to guide you two through those shelves."  
  
Rory smiled. "Well...I'd have to-"She jumped a little. "Whoa."  
  
"What's the matter?" Emily asked.  
  
"Cell phone. I had it on vibrate." She took it out of the pocket of her pants, and ignored her mother as she mouthed the word "Dirty." "Hello...? Hey! We were just talking about you, what's up?"  
  
Emily tilted her head and watched Rory smile in a way she'd never seen before.  
  
"I have an offer for lunch tomorrow at my grandparents'... Please? Please? Please, please, please, please plea-" She waited for an answer, and then turned to Richard. "Time?"  
  
"Hmmm. Twelve-thirty."  
  
"Twelve-thirty?" Rory repeated into the phone. "I'll pick you up at ten... yes, ten... that means you have to be up, showered, shaved and dressed... No, Jess... Jess, ten... This is not up for discussion, if we're gonna be here by twelve-thirty, you have to be ready by ten... If you're still in bed when I get there, I will shove you off of the mattress and onto the floor..." She turned red. "Do you mind?!" She sighed. "Ten... You get up earlier to work the breakfast shift... If you're still in the shower when I get there, I'm gonna flush the toilet on you... Then I'm gonna draw another shaving cream smiley-face on you..." She turned red again. "Oh, my god! Ten!" she hung up the phone and put it back.  
  
"Well, that was..." Richard cleared his throat. "So, the two of you will be here at twelve-thirty?"  
  
Rory smiled as best she could. "Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."  
  
******  
  
Of course, when she showed up in Luke's apartment the next morning at nine-thirty, he was still asleep.  
  
She sighed and shook her head. She hated having to wake him, but she had no choice. She stalked off into the kitchen area, got a glass of water, walked back to Jess's sleeping form, and dumped the contents of the glass on his head.  
  
He shot up in bed and gasped from the cold. "AH!" He shook his head out, and looked up at her grinning face. "You," he growled. He shoved the covers off and got up, wearing only a t-shirt and boxers.  
  
She couldn't help but snicker. "Oh, god. Lily's right. Skinny legs!"  
  
He glared, and she ran. He gave chase.  
  
******  
  
"Dragonfly Inn."  
  
"Lorelei."  
  
"Mom. Hi. What's up?"  
  
"I... I wanted to ask you about... something," Emily said awkwardly.  
  
"Uh.. okay," Lorelei replied, leaning against the concierge desk.  
  
"Rory and Jess..."  
  
'Oh, god,' Lorelei thought. 'No. No, no, anything but this.' "Uh... what about Rory and Jess?"  
  
"They aren't... Rory looked very... different when she spoke to him on the phone the other night, don't you think? Much more mature..."  
  
"Uh... I don't know, Mom, I didn't notice," Lorelei replied nervously. "Oh! Look! Flying monkeys just walked in! Bye!" She hung up, and stared wide-eyed at the phone.  
  
Sookie walked by, and gave a quizzical look to her best from. "Lorelei?"  
  
"I think my mother just tried to ask me about my daughter's love life."  
  
"Oh... god," Sookie said.  
  
All Lorelei could do was stare at the phone.  
  
*****  
  
They'd been late for lunch due to the fact that their chase lasted longer than expected, and Jess made sure to take extra long in the shower, even after Rory flushed the toilet on him.  
  
Lunch had been alright, if quiet, and Richard had given them a somewhat abbreviated tour, due to the fact that he had to go out with Jason for an unexpected meeting.  
  
This left Rory and Jess to browse the shelves on their own.  
  
Jess sighed as he pulled out a copy of Machiavelli's The Prince. "Predictable."  
  
Rory browsed a little and pulled out the first book in The Little House on the Prairie series. "Surprise!"  
  
Jess took it from her and looked it over. "Huh... Richard doesn't... look like a Prairie fan..."  
  
Rory snickered as she went to pull the next book off of the shelf. She snickered. "Look, Jess, Pat the Bunny."  
  
He glared. "I hated that girl."  
  
Rory laughed. "She liked you, didn't she?"  
  
"She was an ignoramus," Jess replied. "A complete idiot. I think she was there to pick up guys."  
  
"What exactly did she do to get Lily to yell at her?" she asked, turning to him. She noticed that his face had flushed ever so slightly and she smiled.  
  
"She uh..."  
  
Rory's smile widened. "What?"  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"Did she grope you?"  
  
He gave her a strange look.  
  
"Butt-cheek pinching?"  
  
He turned back to the bookshelf in front of him. "Hey, look. Nine Stories." He picked it up and thumbed through it.  
  
Rory giggled, and kept looking through the books.  
  
*****  
  
"He got groped in California?"  
  
Rory nodded and giggled as she ate the cold Chinese food. "He blushed when I asked him about it."  
  
"Jess?"  
  
Rory nodded. "It was so cute. It was right up there with the Batman photos. He was so embarrassed."  
  
Lorelei smiled. "You gonna hop a plane to Venice Beach to beat this girl up?"  
  
"Nope. Lily took care of it, apparently," Rory replied.  
  
"She's still not speaking to him?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "He said he got her on the phone the other night, but not for long. I think she's just really hurt that he decided to leave. She really misses him."  
  
Lorelei nodded.  
  
"Hey, are you okay, Mom?" Rory asked. "With the... Jason breakup?"  
  
Lorelei nodded. "I think... I mean... ugh. I don't know. I guess I sort of saw it coming. We hadn't been connecting like we used to."  
  
Rory nodded. "Ben and Jerry's night?"  
  
Lorelei nodded back. "Oh, yeah."  
  
******  
  
"There are my boys!"  
  
Jess looked up from bussing the last of the tables, and Luke looked up from the register. Liz stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.  
  
"Count of three?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Count of three."  
  
Luke sighed. "One..."  
  
Liz gave them both a puzzled look.  
  
"Two..." Jess said.  
  
"Three," they snapped in unison, and began to make their way for the stairway to the apartment.  
  
"Freeze!"  
  
Both froze in place.  
  
"Turn."  
  
Both turned, each looking slightly guilty in their own way. Luke's guilt was a little more obvious, while Jess's was hidden by his well- rehearsed scowl.  
  
"I'm here to see you guys," Liz said with a smile.  
  
"Goody..." Luke muttered.  
  
"Yay..." Jess deadpanned.  
  
"I have some news."  
  
"Goody..." Luke muttered.  
  
"Yay..." Jess deadpanned.  
  
She held up a hand and beamed as the ring on her finger sparkled in the dim light of the closed diner. "TJ proposed. I'm getting married."  
  
Luke stared in shock.  
  
Jess's eye twitched. 


	37. Red is Definitely Your Color

A/N: AvidTVFan: Thanks for the info. Whoops on me, I knew I should have looked that up... bad me.  
  
A/N: The Finest Kind Pediatrics and Whore House is property of Richard Hooker, author of M*A*S*H. Go read! Good shit!  
  
A/N: And yes, I did just realize that I'm spelling Lorelai wrong. Again, I feel like a dope.  
  
"Married?"  
  
Liz nodded with a smile. "Married."  
  
Luke shook his head, still not comprehending. "But... Married?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and got up from the couch in his uncle's apartment. "Yes! Married! We've been sitting here for a half-hour, and you've said nothing of substance!"  
  
Luke sighed. "Okay, where is this wedding gonna be?"  
  
"Here," Liz replied. "TJ and I want to have it here."  
  
"In Stars Hollow?"  
  
"No, Mars," Jess snapped irritably.  
  
"We were hoping to have it at the church here," Liz went on.  
  
"Well... that's... nice," Luke said slowly.  
  
Jess crossed his arms. "Peachy."  
  
Luke gave his nephew a sideways glance. "Did you just say-?"  
  
"Blame Rory."  
  
Luke nodded.  
  
"I want you guys to be there," Liz told them, doing her best to ignore their strange banter. "I'm trying to convince TJ into making you groomsmen."  
  
Luke and Jess gave each other panicked looks.  
  
"You don't have to do that," Luke told her.  
  
"Please don't do that," Jess added quickly.  
  
"I want you guys to be in it," Liz said. "You're my guys."  
  
Jess clenched his jaw. "I have to take a walk." He got up to leave.  
  
Luke followed him to the door. "No."  
  
"I need a cigarette."  
  
"You're staying," Luke hissed. "You can't leave me here with her alone like this."  
  
"I can't stay here. I am not one of 'her guys,'" Jess snapped. "Y'know, the only reason she's paying any attention to me at all is because I nearly got my head taken off by an SUV."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Not this again."  
  
"I'm going."  
  
"When will you be back?"  
  
"Whenever," Jess replied.  
  
"Midnight."  
  
Jess glared. "You can't give me a curfew."  
  
Luke groaned. "Will you just... fine. Just... fine. But if you're late for your shift tomorrow-"  
  
"You can blame Rory," Jess cut him off.  
  
The most horrified expression Jess had ever seen played across Luke's face. The younger man took out a pack of cigarettes and left.  
  
Luke turned back to Liz, who was looking confused, and sighed.  
  
******  
  
Rory and Lane exited the town meeting with smiles on their faces.  
  
"A Halloween ball," Rory said. "This is gonna be great. Any ideas on what you want to go as yet?"  
  
Lane shook her head, and looked to Dave.  
  
"I kind of want to go as John Lennon," he told them.  
  
This got Lane excited. "Oh! Oh! We could be the Beatles!"  
  
Rory blinked at her best friend. "You're a girl..."  
  
"I could be a boy for one night!" Lane told them. "Come on! I wanna be Ringo! I can wear the suit and a mop wig, it'll be fun!"  
  
Dave laughed a little. "We shall see. What about you, Rory? Any ideas?"  
  
Rory sighed. "I don't know yet. Maybe I'll try and talk to Jess about it."  
  
"Try and talk to Jess about what?"  
  
He walked up next to them and wrapped an arm around Rory's shoulders. She smirked and kissed his cheek. "The town's Halloween party," she told him.  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh, come on, it'll be fun," Lane said. "We're gonna be the Beatles."  
  
"Not going," Jess said.  
  
Rory sighed. "We'll dress up as something cool."  
  
"I don't do dress-up."  
  
"You can be Satan," she offered.  
  
He blinked, and eyed his girlfriend warily. "You serious?"  
  
She nodded. "You can be Lucifer."  
  
"What will you be?"  
  
She thought for a moment, and then smiled proudly. "God."  
  
Lane stared at them in shock. "My mother would have both your heads."  
  
Dave snickered at his girlfriend's comment. "How can you guys possibly be seen together? God and the devil wouldn't dare go on a date together."  
  
"We can call a truce for one night," Rory replied. "Isn't that right, Lucifer?"  
  
"Sure thing, Yahweh."  
  
******  
  
Lorelai sighed as she sat in the parlor of her parents' house with her mother.  
  
"So," Emily said after a long moment of silence. "How is the Inn?"  
  
Lorelai blinked. "Fine. I told you last night that the Inn is fine."  
  
Emily nodded. "And Rory is well."  
  
"You saw her last night, Mom," Lorelai reminded. "You know she's fine. What is this about?"  
  
Emily sighed and fidgeted a little. "Well... Oh, for heaven's sake, I'm going to just come right out and say it: Are Rory and Jess having sex?"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Oh, my god, Mom, that isn't your business."  
  
"I know you know, Lorelai. Are they?"  
  
"I am not at liberty to say," Lorelai replied. "If Rory wants you to know, she'll tell you."  
  
"They are, aren't they?" Emily asked gingerly. "I was afraid of this."  
  
"So what if they are, Mom?" Lorelai snapped. "She's nineteen."  
  
"She's going to get pregnant," Emily replied. "You know she is. She's going to get pregnant, and drop out of school, all for him, and he'll leave her."  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"She's doomed to repeat your exact mistakes."  
  
"They're protected a lot better than Chris and I were," Lorelai informed her. "I made sure of that."  
  
"But they're still sleeping together!" Emily cried. "And she could still get pregnant!"  
  
"And if she does, we'll deal with it," Lorelai replied. "You know, at least they're in love!"  
  
"You and Christopher were plenty in love!" Emily cried. "Or at least that's what you claimed."  
  
"We were really young, and really, really dumb," Lorelai replied. "Although it was probably the best stupid move I ever made..." she shook her head. "Rory and Jess are different. "They're older than Chris and I were. Rory, at least is more mature, and Jess wouldn't hurt her."  
  
"You're so sure," Emily glared.  
  
"He loves her, Mom. He wouldn't have come back here after five months if he didn't."  
  
*****  
  
"No Lorelai tonight?"  
  
Rory shrugged as they sat down on the bridge. "My grandma wanted to have her over tonight."  
  
Jess nodded. "Lucky her."  
  
"My grandma's not that bad," Rory smirked. "She means well."  
  
He nodded again.  
  
"You've been kinda quiet tonight," Rory pointed out.  
  
Jess shrugged.  
  
"Anything wrong?"  
  
He stared down at the water bellow them.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"Liz is here."  
  
Rory blinked. She hadn't been expecting that. "Oh... well..."  
  
"She's getting married."  
  
"Wow."  
  
Jess nodded. "She came here to tell me and Luke ... and she wants to have it here.... She wants both Luke and I to be in it."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Yeah," he replied.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Not much." He took out a cigarette and played with it between his fingers.  
  
She looked at him. He was freezing over and shutting down on her. She took the cigarette from him and tossed it into the lake. He watched it float, and then looked at her questioningly. She took his hands.  
  
"Do you want to be in it?"  
  
He shrugged, not looking at her.  
  
"Do you want to go at all?"  
  
"I... I don't know."  
  
She sighed and let the silence surround them for a moment, until she came up with another question. "Do you... wanna go back to my house and cook me something yummy to eat?"  
  
He gave her a bewildered look.  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
He smirked and rolled his eyes.  
  
"You wanna have a sleepover?" she asked with a smile. "You can cook me food and I can paint your toenails."  
  
"You stay away from my toes," he warned.  
  
She giggled.  
  
******  
  
Lorelai sighed as she walked into the house that evening. She couldn't believe how much nerve her mother had. She understood that the older Gilmore was worried, but she'd taken it too far.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Kitchen!"  
  
When she walked in, show found Rory and Jess sitting at the table. Rory was eating pancakes, and Jess was... well, he was attempting to remove red nail polish from his toes.  
  
Lorelai stared for a moment, before bursting into laughter.  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and kept trying to remove the red paint.  
  
When Lorelai caught her breath, she went over and grabbed the left- over pancakes from the counter. She stared at Jess's feet more, and laughed again. "Tell."  
  
"I made her pancakes and she repaid me by attacking me with nail polish," Jess grumbled.  
  
Rory smiled. "I think the color brings out your eyes."  
  
"I think that if you ever do that again, I'm attacking you with hair dye."  
  
Rory couldn't help but snicker. "You're so cute."  
  
He rolled his eyes and continued.  
  
"How was your dinner with Grandma?" Rory asked.  
  
Lorelai bit her lip. "It was... awkward... mostly."  
  
"Why awkward?" Jess asked, trying to erase the last traces of red from his feet.  
  
"It's always awkward with Mom and Grandma," Rory explained. "That's normal."  
  
"Oh, no, Sweets, tonight reached a new level of awkwardness," Lorelai informed them.  
  
"Oh?" Rory asked. "Do tell."  
  
Lorelai began to talk, but wrinkled her nose. "One second." She walked out of the room and came back with a can of Lysol, which she began to spray Jess's feet with.  
  
He pulled his feet back and nearly tipped his chair over from surprise. "AH! What-?!"  
  
"Mom hates the smell of nail polish remover," Rory explained. She turned back to her mother. "So?"  
  
Lorelai sighed, and sat down at the table with them. "Well... she had... a question."  
  
"About?" Jess asked.  
  
"You guys."  
  
The couple glanced at each other.  
  
"W-... what about us?" Rory asked, nervously.  
  
Lorelai sighed. "She uh... wanted to know whether or not you guys had..."  
  
Rory turned bright red, and Jess leaned back and sighed.  
  
"I'm really sorry. She cornered me."  
  
Jess shook his head. "It doesn't matter."  
  
Both Gilmores stared at him.  
  
"What?" Jess asked. "So she knows. We're not doing anything wrong. What, does she think I'm using Rory?"  
  
Lorelai sighed. "Well..."  
  
"If anything Rory's using me."  
  
Rory stared at her boyfriend blankly. "What?!"  
  
"She only wants me for my body."  
  
Rory glared.  
  
Lorelai blinked.  
  
"What?! She does!"  
  
Rory reached over on the table and picked up the nail polish.  
  
Jess glared at her. "You wouldn't."  
  
She unscrewed the top, and took out the little blush. "Hold still."  
  
Jess got up and ran, and Rory gave chase.  
  
Lorelai watched them go with a smirk and ate her pancakes.  
  
******  
  
Luke sighed as he waited for Lorelai to pick up the phone.  
  
"House of pain!"  
  
He blinked. "Lorelai?"  
  
"Luke! Hey!"  
  
In the background he could here a loud crash and a short scream.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Don't mind the noise, Jess and Rory and wresting."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Lorelai laughed. "She's trying to paint him up with red nail polish. He's only defending himself. I'm supervising to make sure it doesn't end up like an episode of Girls Gone Wild."  
  
Luke's face scrunched up. "Ah, god."  
  
"Sorry. Bad mental image?"  
  
"You have no idea." He heard Jess yell something out in the background, which was followed by a loud thump. "You have no idea how raunchy that sounded."  
  
"It's completely innocent," Lorelai reassured. "Until I go to bed. Then, I'm pretty sure it's gonna be Girls Gone Wild all the way. This house will transform from The House of Pain, to the Finest Kind Pediatrics Hospital and Whore House."  
  
"Change of subject, please?"  
  
"Okay, shoot. Why are you calling?"  
  
"Liz made me."  
  
Lorelai blinked. "Liz? She's in town?"  
  
Luke sighed. "Yeah. She came to tell us that she's getting married. Here. In Stars Hollow. And she wants Jess and I to be groomsmen."  
  
Lorelai snickered. "Oh, no..."  
  
"It's not funny! It's scary!" He whispered his next words. "She's marrying the Etch-e-Sketch guy!"  
  
"You think you have it bad?" Lorelai asked, watching as Jess tried to get to his feet, but was pulled back to the floor by Rory. "My mother asked my about Rory's love life at dinner tonight."  
  
"Weren't we straying from this topic?" Luke asked.  
  
"Why did Liz make you call?"  
  
"She wanted me to make sure Jess was okay," Luke replied.  
  
Lorelai sighed. "You know, for someone who shipped her kid off so she wouldn't have to deal with him anymore, she's sure showing a lot of concern now..."  
  
"I know," Luke replied. "I think its scaring Jess. He was outta here like a bat out of hell tonight."  
  
"That could just be his hormones...Which are really taking over right now. JESS!"  
  
"I'll... let you go..."  
  
"Okay," Lorelai replied. "Bye, Luke."  
  
He sighed. "Bye." 


	38. Handle with Care

Jess sat in the common room of their dorm suite, reading, and waiting for Rory.  
  
"I can't BELIEVE you would say that!" he heard Paris cry. "What is WRONG with you?!"  
  
"What's wrong with me?!" he heard Gloria scream. "JESS!"  
  
He didn't reply, only turned the page of his book.  
  
A moment later he was pegged with a bottle of hairspray, knocking his book out of his hands. He blinked down at it and got to his feet, carrying it into Paris's room, where the noise was coming from.  
  
"Are you telling me I'm having a bad hair day?" he asked.  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes. "I was trying to get your attention."  
  
"Well you got it," Jess replied, handing her the bottle. "Now what do you want?"  
  
"Tell Paris she needs to let me do her hair nice for this party tonight," Gloria ordered.  
  
"Tell Gloria that my hair is just fine the way is, and not all of us have to do ourselves up like street walkers when we go out!" Paris yelled.  
  
Gloria growled and lunged for the other girl, but Jess caught her. "Gloria... no dead roommates."  
  
"Why not?" Gloria replied, struggling against Jess's grip. "Haven't you ever seen 'Dead Man on Campus'? She dies, and I can get A's!"  
  
Paris backed away, looking slightly disturbed.  
  
Jess groaned and dragged Gloria out of the room. "Why can't you even make an attempt to get along with her?"  
  
"Why? You don't."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes again and sat back down on the couch, picking his book back up.  
  
Gloria sighed and sat next to him. "So... dinner with your mom and TJ tonight."  
  
"Don't remind me."  
  
She smirked. "Poor baby has to eat with Mommy."  
  
He glared at her and opened his book to read more.  
  
"Okay!" Rory called, walking out of her room. "All set!" She began to walk toward the door, but Jess shot up, and took her by the arm and dragged back into her room, closing the door behind him. She blinked. "Jess..."  
  
He walked to her and started kissing her.  
  
She laughed a little. "Jess..." Not that she wasn't enjoying attentions, but it was rude to keep Liz, TJ and Luke waiting.  
  
He didn't reply, only kept kissing her.  
  
She pushed him away gently and smiled. "Is this your oh-so-subtle way of telling me you don't want to go?"  
  
"No," he replied. "There are just... more important..." he looked her up and down. "More enjoyable things we could do tonight."  
  
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Gloria is dragging Tanna and Paris out to a party," Jess said. "We'll have the place to ourselves..."  
  
She smirked. "And you want to..."  
  
"Make love," he told her seriously. "All night. Starting right now."  
  
She stared at him for a moment, and felt herself falter from his words a little, but regained her composure quickly. "And... missing dinner with your mom, your uncle and your step-dad-to-be is just an added bonus."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
****  
  
"I can't believe you'd rather have dinner with my family than make love."  
  
Rory giggled a little. "It's not that, and you know it," she told him, practically dragging him toward the diner. "We told Luke we'd come."  
  
He mumbled something that was obviously obscene under his breath, and she smiled.  
  
Luke was counting out the register when they walked in. "You're late."  
  
"I'm always late," Jess replied. "Haven't you been paying attention for the past three and a half years?"  
  
"Where are Liz and TJ?" Rory asked, sitting at the counter. "And where's your coffee?"  
  
Jess walked behind the counter and took the last of the day's coffee and poured it into a to-go cup for her.  
  
She smiled at him. "My boyfriend gives me coffee," she said. "He loves me lots."  
  
"He'd love you even more if you hadn't rejected his plan for tonight," Jess joked. He turned to Luke. "So we're late? Where are they?"  
  
"Where do you think you get it from?" Luke replied. "It's genetic."  
  
"Huh."  
  
The door opened again, and Liz came bounding through, holding TJ by the hand, all smiles.  
  
Jess averted his eyes and shook his head. He wished he were lying in Rory's dorm. Naked. With Rory. Who would also be naked.  
  
Naked Rory.  
  
"Jess!"  
  
He blinked. It really wasn't any good to think of his girlfriend naked when his mother had just shown up. "Hi, Liz."  
  
She rushed behind the counter and gave her son a great big hug, which drove out all thoughts of Rory, even though she was sitting right in front of him with a huge smile on her face. He sighed and gently pried his mother off of him.  
  
Liz smiled and patted his cheek gently. "You look great."  
  
Jess gave a slight nod, and stood awkwardly in front of his mother.  
  
"Hey, there, Jess!" TJ said. "Good to see ya!"  
  
Jess gave TJ a blank stare, and nodded again.  
  
"Oh!" Liz said. "TJ, this is Rory, Jess's girlfriend."  
  
"Hi, there," TJ smiled. Rory waved in return. He glanced from Rory to Jess and then back to Liz. "Kinda mismatched, aren't they?"  
  
Rory blinked, and Jess raised an eyebrow.  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Come on. We've got reservations."  
  
*****  
  
"So that's Rory."  
  
Luke sighed. He'd been stuck with taking Liz and TJ in his truck, while Jess and Rory followed in her car. "That's Rory."  
  
"She seems nice," TJ commented.  
  
"She is," Liz nodded. "She's very nice. And she's very good for Jess."  
  
"She doesn't seem like his type."  
  
"How would you know?" Luke asked. "You've said two words to her."  
  
"It's the vibe," TJ replied. "She just seems too... I don't know. She doesn't seem like she's for him."  
  
"Well, you don't know either of them," Luke told him. "So you have no room to talk."  
  
Liz sighed. "Okay, okay. New topic!"  
  
*****  
  
"So, apparently, we're mismatched," Rory commented, keeping her eyes on the road.  
  
"Huh. Funny how we never knew."  
  
"Do you think we're incompatible?" Rory asked, smirking at him absently.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Ugh. I knew it," Rory laughed. "Oh well. Looks like we gotta break up."  
  
Jess smirked. "Yup. I'll go find myself a floozy, and you can go rope up a Yale-y."  
  
She snickered and shook her head. "So... the Halloween Masque..."  
  
"Ugh..."  
  
"What? I already told you that we could go as God and Lucifer," Rory pointed out. "You seemed kinda excited."  
  
"What would Lucifer wear?"  
  
"What do you think Lucifer would wear?"  
  
Jess shrugged and thumbed through his copy of Sherlock Holmes. "I don't know. Not tights."  
  
She stifled a laugh. "But your legs in tights would just be so..."  
  
"Don't even."  
  
She laughed a little. "Okay, okay... You could wear a suit?"  
  
"I don't do suits."  
  
She sighed. "You'll figure something out."  
  
"What does God wear?" Jess asked.  
  
Rory only smiled and kept driving.  
  
*****  
  
"How was dinner?"  
  
Rory sighed over the phone. "Awkward. Very awkward," she told her mother. "Liz was all smiles. She was trying to be really affectionate towards Jess."  
  
"Yeah?" Lorelai asked, snickering a little. "Did he bite her hand off?"  
  
"Nope. Just looked extremely uncomfortable and disturbed," Rory replied, sitting down at her desk. "According to Jess this whole motherly love thing is new."  
  
"Where is he now?"  
  
Rory sighed. "I dropped him off at his place... he was originally gonna come here, and were gonna... gonna read, but he was so drained from tonight."  
  
"I know that feeling," Lorelai said. "Parents can suck the life right out of you."  
  
"Another fun conversation with Grandma?" Rory asked.  
  
"Don't get me started," Lorelai muttered.  
  
"This Friday's dinner isn't going to be very pleasant, is it?"  
  
"Bring Jess."  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Rory cried. "Not a chance! Grandma will murder him! And I have a big test next week, the last thing I need is a massacred Jess on my hands."  
  
"I'll protect him," Lorelai reassured. "But My mother doesn't know you guys know she knows that you guys are makin' with the love."  
  
Rory sighed. "I wish he were here right now."  
  
Lorelai snickered. "I see where your mind is. Dirty."  
  
"Not dirty!" Rory protested. "It's beautiful! It's like... it's like a song that you never want to get out of your head."  
  
"Babe... I know you love him and he loves you, and this is really an amazing time for you, but..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"Don't let yourself become so attached that if you have to let go, you can't," she finished.  
  
They sat on the phone in silence for a moment.  
  
"So..." Lorelai said uneasily. "When are Liz and TJ planning their wedding for?"  
  
"Early to mid November," Rory replied. "And I dropped the Dragonfly as a possible site for guest lodgings and ceremony holding."  
  
"That's my girl," Lorelai smiled. "How does Jess feel about this TJ guy?"  
  
"Oh, Jess thinks he's an idiot," Rory replied. "I'm kind of inclined to agree. He's not exactly smart... then again, Jess tells me neither is Liz."  
  
"How was Luke holding up?"  
  
"Quiet... he kicked Jess every time he heard him mutter something under his breath, so at least he was keeping himself busy."  
  
Lorelai smirked. "Hey, I gotta go, okay?"  
  
"Oh, okay," Rory smiled. "See you Friday?"  
  
"Yup," Lorelai nodded. "Love you, Kid."  
  
"Love you, too, Mom." Rory hung up the phone, and looked around the empty dorm room. Her roommates were still out at the party, and probably wouldn't be back for hours. She sighed, grabbed her keys and her bag, and walked out of the dorm.  
  
*****  
  
Lorelai knocked on the locked diner door, and saw Luke look up and quickly walk over. He unlocked the door and opened it. "Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Got coffee?" Lorelai asked hopefully.  
  
Luke blinked. "Now?"  
  
She nodded. "I need my fix."  
  
He sighed and stepped aside to let her in.  
  
She smiled and walked in and over to the counter where she sat down. "How was dinner?"  
  
"Excruciating," Luke replied. "TJ's an idiot, Liz is a flake, I'm cynical, and Jess is annoying. The only well-behaved person at the table was Rory." He began to brew fresh coffee and sighed. "I don't know what Liz sees in this guy."  
  
Lorelai shrugged. "There could be a redeeming quality in there somewhere in all that stupid."  
  
"He commented that Jess and Rory are 'mismatched,'" Luke told her. He smirked a little. "You shoulda seen their faces."  
  
She laughed a little. "Yeah, Rory mentioned this guy isn't the brightest crayon ever." She sighed.  
  
"You okay?" he asked her as he pulled out a mug and set it in front of her. "You seem a little less... deranged this evening."  
  
She shrugged. "It was really quiet," she told him. "Really quiet. Deathly quiet. I felt like a corpse sitting at home tonight."  
  
"Where's Sookie?"  
  
"She's having 'family time' with Jackson and Davie," Lorelai replied.  
  
Luke nodded and poured her the coffee when it was done brewing.  
  
"Mmmmm, heaven," she smiled and took a sip. "You're my favorite drug dealer ever."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "And we're back to deranged..."  
  
*****  
  
She knocked on his door and waited a few moments for him to open up. He appeared in the open doorway, wearing a t-shirt and his boxer shorts. His hair was sticking up and messy, and he squinted at her. "Rory?"  
  
"Hey. I know you said you wanted to sleep, but..."  
  
"What's wrong?" Jess asked.  
  
"Nothing," she replied. "I just..." she turned red. "I missed you," she told him quietly.  
  
He gave her a smirk that was almost a smile. "Wanna sleep here?"  
  
She nodded, looking him in the eyes.  
  
He nodded back and took her hand, leading her in. She shut the door behind her. 


	39. The Finest Italian Dining

A/N: Something funky happened with FF.net... don't know... but Ch. 38 is up, and this is 39...  
  
A/N #2: I don't know where PS 128 is in NY. I pulled it out of my butt. If I'm offending anyone. I'm sorry.  
  
"I'm not kidding!"  
  
He sat on the edge of his bed, clad in his boxers and a huge smirk that spread across his face.  
  
"This isn't funny!"  
  
Rory Gilmore was rushing around the apartment, tripping over the bed sheet that happened to be the only thing protecting her from the draft that weaved itself through the small space.  
  
Jess shrugged and picked up Player Piano from the night stand.  
  
"Jess! I need my clothes! Where are they?!"  
  
He shrugged again and kept reading.  
  
"Jess! I have class!"  
  
"So skip. I'll call in sick to Conner's and we'll spend the day."  
  
"I can't skip!" Rory cried. "How can I possibly skip?! Can you imagine the conversation at Friday dinner?!" She imitated her grandfather. "'So, Rory. How were classes this week?'" Her voice changed back to her own. "'Great, Grandpa. I skipped Thursday and spent the time I'm supposed to use to fill my brain with useful knowledge for the future having amazing well-protected sex with my boyfriend! Isn't that fascinating?"  
  
"Amazing. Huh."  
  
"Oh, my god!" Rory yelled. "That the only part of that rant you actually heard, isn't it?!"  
  
He shrugged and turned a page.  
  
"Jess! Where are my clothes?!"  
  
Yet again, Jess shrugged.  
  
She glared, and proceeded to go through his dresser.  
  
******  
  
Gloria looked up from the video game she was playing and cracked into laughter.  
  
Rory was standing in the doorway, wearing a ridiculously baggy pair of jeans and a Metallica t-shirt that was also too big.  
  
"Oh, my god!" Gloria laughed. "Those clothes! That scowl! Jess and Rory have finally morphed into on person!"  
  
Paris peered out of her room. "D you mind, Gloria? I'm-"She looked Rory over. "Wonderful fashion statement. Very Early hip-hop era."  
  
"Jess hit my clothes!" Rory pleaded.  
  
"TMI!" Gloria yelled. "Oh, god! TMI!"  
  
"T... M... I?" Rory asked.  
  
"Stands for too much information," Paris huffed. "Gloria! Stop being annoying! And turn down the sound on that stupid game!"  
  
"It's not stupid!" Gloria cried, looking offended. "It's Battle Toads!"  
  
"Battle Toads? Battle Toads?!" Paris said. "You go to Yale, and you're playing a game entitled Battle Toads?!"  
  
"It's the pirated arcade version," Gloria offered.  
  
Paris groaned and slammed her door shut.  
  
"How was poli-sci?" Gloria asked, not at all phased by Paris's display.  
  
Rory sighed and sat down on the couch. "I was a little late, but it went alright."  
  
The other girl turned back to her game. "Good... hey, can I borrow that blue long-sleeved top of yours?"  
  
"Sure. What for? Hot date?"  
  
Gloria smirked. "Nah. Grandma wants Jess and I for dinner tomorrow... he didn't tell you?"  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
"Wow. I thought he'd invite you over."  
  
"Oh," Rory said. "Friday night I have dinners with my grandparents. You know that."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Gloria nodded. She thought for a moment. "Hey! Wouldn't it be fun if we did a joint dinner?"  
  
Rory smiled.  
  
******  
  
"Luke, I am begging you!"  
  
"No, Lorelai," he replied as she followed him around the diner. "I just got Liz and TJ out of my hair."  
  
"Come on!" She begged. "I've never met Jess's family on Jimmy's side... well, except Jimmy! I need an ally!"  
  
"You'll have Rory."  
  
"Who will probably be busy keeping Jess from killing someone."  
  
Luke sighed. "Listen, I've only met Sofia Mariano once."  
  
"Really? When?"  
  
"Ten years ago," Luke replied. "When-"he stopped himself and sighed. "You'll be fine, Lorelai."  
  
"My parents are going to be there," Lorelai told him. "It's a joint Friday dinner. Sofia is cooking and I need an ally! By my date!"  
  
Luke sighed, defeated.  
  
*****  
  
Rory opened the door to find Jess standing there with a small pile of neatly folded clothing, topped with a pair of rolled-up socks.  
  
"Hi," Rory said.  
  
"Hi," he replied, holding the pile out to her.  
  
"You did my laundry?"  
  
He shrugged. "Found them in with my dirty stuff."  
  
She rolled her eyes, kissed him, took the clothes, and let him in. "So you came to drop off my laundry."  
  
"Seeing you is an added bonus."  
  
She nodded and they sat on the couch. "So you're having dinner at Sofia's tomorrow."  
  
Jess nodded back. "Gloria opened her mouth?"  
  
"Mhm. And she had a great idea."  
  
"Which would be?"  
  
"Joint Friday dinner. Us, your grandmother, Gloria, my mom and my grandparents."  
  
"No way."  
  
"Too late," she told him. "Already set."  
  
"Aw, jeez, Rory," Jess said. "Thanks a lot."  
  
"What? It'll be fun."  
  
He got to his feet. "No, it won't."  
  
"Why not? Your grandmother is really cool. And my grandmother was okay with it."  
  
He shook his head. "I gotta go."  
  
"Jess!"  
  
He headed for the door, and walked out, running into Gloria.  
  
"Hey," she said, surprised to see him.  
  
He glared and began to walk off.  
  
She glanced into the dorm room and to see Rory sitting on the couch, looking dejected. She rolled her eyes, and ran after Jess. "What's with you?"  
  
"You invited the Gilmores for dinner."  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
He didn't reply, just kept walking.  
  
She lunged at him, and put him into a full nelson, hooking her hands together behind his neck.  
  
"Gloria!"  
  
"Speak!"  
  
"Woof!"  
  
"Which translates to...?"  
  
"Get off!"  
  
"Why is it such a crime to have dinner with Rory's family?"  
  
Jess struggled and got out from her hold. He stared at her wildly. "You know what Sofia has?! Not much! That dinky apartment and the old shop underneath that she uses for storage!"  
  
Gloria stayed silent.  
  
Jess went on. "Rory's grandparents have a giant house! Her grandfather owns his own company! Her grandmother organizes and goes to DAR meetings!"  
  
"What the hell is DAR?"  
  
"Fucked if I know!" Jess yelled. "And that's what I'm saying!"  
  
"So this is about money."  
  
Jess shook his head. "We don't need Richard and Emily looking down on us more than they already do."  
  
"Does Rory look down on us, too?"  
  
He stayed silent.  
  
She rolled her eyes.  
  
He rolled his back and turned to leave.  
  
She tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned, the dark expression still on his face. She cocked back her fist and let him have it.  
  
******  
  
"...He just stormed out," Rory sniffed on the phone. "He wouldn't even tell me why it upset him."  
  
She didn't hear her mother's comforting works, though. The door swung open and Gloria walked in, supporting Jess, whose eye was quickly swelling up.  
  
Rory jumped to her feet. "Oh, my god! Mom, I gotta go." She turned the phone off and dropped it.  
  
Gloria smiled. "I got a little carried away." She dragged Jess in and shoved him onto the couch.  
  
"You beat him up?" Rory asked.  
  
Gloria shrugged. "He was being a dickhead." She headed for the mini fridge and gathered up an ice pack.  
  
Rory sat next to Jess and took his chin in her hand. "What hurts?"  
  
"My pride, mostly," he told her.  
  
Gloria walked back over and plopped the ice pack on his swelled eye.  
  
"Ah!"  
  
"How many times do I have to beat you up before you stop acting like a Jack-ass?" Gloria asked him.  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
She shook her head. "He's all yours, Rory." She walked to her room and closed the door.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment, Jess fidgeting with the ice pack.  
  
"Are you mad at me?" Rory asked finally.  
  
"No. Are you mad at me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Me, too," She nodded. "We should have talked to you about it."  
  
"We still would have fought," he pointed out.  
  
Rory nodded and took the ice pack from him. She gently put it to his eye and he flinched. "Are you okay with dinner?"  
  
He sighed. "Don't have much of a choice, do I?"  
  
******  
  
Sofia opened the door the next evening to find Gloria, Rory and Jess standing there. Both girls were dressed in skirts and blouses and Jess wore slacks and a nice shirt. And a black.  
  
"Hi, Grandma!" Gloria smiled, walking forward to hug her.  
  
Sofia hugged back, still looking at Jess. "Gloria, have you been punching Jess again?"  
  
The curly-haired girl gave her grandmother a sheepish look. "Maybe a little."  
  
Sofia sighed and beckoned them inside, hugging Rory briefly and then placing a kiss on Jess's forehead. "You're the first here," she told them. "Well... second..."  
  
Jamie was sitting on the couch.  
  
"Mooching more, Jamie?" Jess quipped.  
  
The blond held his arms out. "I just miss you, Jessie!"  
  
Rory snickered as Jess rolled his eyes.  
  
*****  
  
When everyone had arrived, Sofia put the mass amounts of food on the table and everyone seated themselves.  
  
Jess leaned over to Luke. "What're you doing here?"  
  
He pointed to Lorelai.  
  
Jess nodded. "Right. So it's a date."  
  
"What?" Luke snapped.  
  
"Your mom and Uncle Luke are on a date," Jess whispered to Rory.  
  
She leaned over and smiled. "Aww."  
  
Luke glared at Jess.  
  
"Dude," Jamie muttered to Jess. "Rory's mom's a MILF."  
  
"A what?"  
  
"A MILF?"  
  
Jess gave him a confused look.  
  
"It's from that American Pie movie," Jamie explained.  
  
"Oh," Jess rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. I missed that one for the sake of brain cells."  
  
Jamie sighed. "MILF: Mom I'd Like to- OW!"  
  
Jess had kicked him.  
  
Sofia glared. "No footsy, boys."  
  
Jamie smiled and rested a hand on Jess's thigh, making the him almost fall out of his chair. "Sorry. Just can't help myself."  
  
Half the table snickered, and the other half looked slightly disturbed.  
  
"So... Jess..." Emily said. "Another black eye?"  
  
"Oh, that was my doing," Gloria chimed in.  
  
Luke laughed at his nephew. "You got beat up by a girl."  
  
"Not just any girl," Gloria snapped. "PS 128's boxing champ of 2003!"  
  
Richard smiled. "That's very impressive," he said. "Sofia, this meal is excellent. What is your secret?"  
  
"I'm Italian," Sofia joked dryly with a smirk on her face, earning lights and a smirk from Jess.  
  
Emily smiled. We've never had an Italian cook, actually."  
  
"You don't cook?" Sofia asked.  
  
"She burns water," Lorelai commented.  
  
Emily glared at her daughter. "I never had the opportunity, nor the desire to learn."  
  
"And it turns out it runs in the family," Lorelai added. "Because neither Rory nor I can make a decent meal other than cold cheese sandwiches."  
  
Sofia looked to Jess. "You should teach Rory to cook."  
  
"She never asked to learn," he replied quietly, looking off at nothing.  
  
"Well, it's a very useful skill," Sofia said to Rory. "You should learn."  
  
Rory smiled. "Maybe I will."  
  
Sofia nodded. "It also keeps you from being ridiculed by people who can cook," she smiled.  
  
Rory snickered, and Emily sighed.  
  
*****  
  
After dinner, the group dispersed around the apartment.  
  
Emily sighed and looked around from her spot on the couch next to Lorelai. "It's very cramped."  
  
Lorelai shrugged. "It's nice."  
  
"And very small."  
  
"I doubt Sofia needs a bigger place, Mom," Lorelai replied.  
  
"Grandma's lived here since she and my grandfather got married," Gloria told them, sitting on the floor in front of them. "Two generations of Marianos took their first steps in this place." She pointed to a spot on the carpet, a few feet away. "Over there is where I hit Jess so hard he needed stitches."  
  
Emily looked a little startled. "Such a violent upbringing."  
  
"We didn't mean anything by it," Gloria reassured. "Not back then, anyways. Now, though..."  
  
"Why'd you hit him?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Cause he was being a jerk," Gloria shrugged.  
  
Richard was studying some of the photos. He picked up a frame and was glancing at what looked to be a much, much older version of Jess, and two small children, both looking to be around the age of seven. The boy was sitting on a counter next to a cash register with a book, and the little girl was being held by the man, who was standing behind the counter.  
  
Sofia walked up and smiled. "That was my husband, Frankie. The little boy is Jess, and the girl is Gloria."  
  
Richard nodded. "It's a lovely picture... what happened to your husband?"  
  
Sofia sighed wistfully and took the picture. "He passed away just before Jess turned sixteen."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Richard said gently.  
  
Sofia smiled. "That's alright. Jess and Gloria took it harder than I did... Jess was very close to Frankie..." She looked around. "Where is that boy, anyways?"  
  
*****  
  
Jess led Rory down into what Sofia had turned into her 'storage' room. It was stuffed full with boxes and shelves.  
  
"Wow..." Rory said looking around.  
  
Jess nodded. "This used to be my grandfather's book store... my grandmother closed it after he died."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She didn't know how to run it," he replied. "And she just...closed it up, and stuck all her stuff down here."  
  
Rory began to look through one of the many shelves of books. "Most of these are out of print..."  
  
Jess nodded. "Frankie loved really, really, really old books. Ridiculously old books." He began to sift through and pulled out an old hardback. He flipped through it, and then stopped, reading. "Huh."  
  
*****  
  
Jamie plopped himself in-between Lorelai and Emily and smiled at the former. "Hi, there."  
  
Lorelai blinked. "Uh... Hi... Jamie, right?"  
  
He smiled and nodded. "And you're Mrs. Gilmore."  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes from her seat on the floor.  
  
"Yeah... I am..." Lorelai nodded, a little unsure.  
  
Jamie pretended to stretch and placed an around Lorelai, who tensed up. "So... tell me about yourself? What do you do for a living? Favorite color? Do you have a boyfriend?"  
  
Lorelai looked around a little. "Uh... I own my own inn..."  
  
"Wow," Jamie smiled. "That's really, really cool."  
  
"Uh... yeah... I... like all colors!" Lorelai said. "They're great."  
  
Jamie's smile widened and he nodded, moving a little closer to her.  
  
"Jamie, you ignorant slut..." Gloria muttered, obviously amused.  
  
"And... uh..." Lorelai looked around, and spotted Luke. "Him! He's my boyfriend!" She got up and walked over to Luke and hugged him.  
  
Luke blinked, obviously confused. "Uh..." He tried his best to pry Lorelai off of him.  
  
Emily shook her head. "Lorelai, you don't have a boyfriend."  
  
"I do now," Lorelai replied. "Isn't that right, Luke?"  
  
Luke gave her another confused look.  
  
Jamie snickered. "Cute. Very cute."  
  
"No!" Lorelai cried. "Really! We're dating. See?" She reached up and kissed Luke fully on the lips.  
  
Jess and Rory walked in and Jess nearly ran back out. "Oh, god!"  
  
"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore!" Emily cried. "I am appalled!"  
  
"You're appalled?!" Jess cried back. "That's my uncle!"  
  
Lorelai released a very dazed Luke, and smiled. "See? Dating."  
  
Jamie sighed and leaned against the couch.  
  
Rory cracked up into laughter and Jess shook his head and made his way over to his grandmother, who was still speaking to Richard.  
  
Jess held up the book he'd found, and Sofia turned. "Well would you look at that," she commented, and then turned to Richard. "Excuse me for one moment." She hooked a hand through Jess's arm and led him off into a different room.  
  
Rory walked up to Lorelai and Luke, still laughing. "What... was that?"  
  
"That was me trying to ward off Jess's creepy best friend," Lorelai whispered. "Do you think it worked?"  
  
Rory could only shake her head and laugh more.  
  
Luke blinked, still in shock. 'Did Lorelai just...? Did...? What?'  
  
*****  
  
Jess sighed as he leaned against the wall in his grandmother's bedroom. "So?"  
  
Sofia turned the book over in her hands. "Frankie was going to give it to you for your birthday."  
  
Jess nodded. "So it said... why didn't you give it to me?"  
  
"I forgot all about it," Sofia replied. She walked over to him and handed him the book.  
  
"I don't want it."  
  
"Take it."  
  
"No."  
  
"Jess," she said her voice a warning. "Take the book, or I'll let Gloria beat you with it."  
  
He took it.  
  
"It was his favorite."  
  
"I know," he nodded. He opened up the book again and looked down at the note written on the inside cover.  
  
Dear Jess,  
  
Happy Sweet sixteen! Alright, alright, not so sweet, but you get it. You're a smart boy. And you're sixteen! My god, where the hell did all that time go? Ah, well. I hope you're birthday goes well. Try not to stay out too late (even though you will), and don't come home too messed up (even though you will).  
  
I thought about writing something meaningful, but I know you don't go in for that sort of crap, so I won't bother. Love you, Kid.  
  
-Grandpa Frankie 


	40. Scenes in a Diner

When Lorelai opened Rory's door, she found the younger Gilmore lying in her bed, reading by flashlight. Jess was fast asleep with an arm around her, and his head on her shoulder.  
  
Rory looked up and smiled, nodding slightly for her to come in.  
  
Lorelai walked in and closed the door silently behind her. She tip- toed over to the bed and sat on the floor with her back up against. "Aren't you afraid he'll drool on you?"  
  
Rory smiled and turned her head to kiss Jess's nose gently. He didn't stir. "Nope," she whispered. "There's never been drool, or strange, loud noises," she wrinkled her nose. "His feet get cold sometimes, though."  
  
"I liked kissing Luke," Lorelai said suddenly.  
  
Rory blinked, and shut off her flashlight. "What?"  
  
"I... oh, god." Lorelai hit her head against the bed. "Oh, my god. It's so... weird... it's... I liked kissing Luke."  
  
"How much did you like it?" Rory asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't know, it just felt... right, somehow... comfortable... and he's a good kisser."  
  
"He kissed back?!"  
  
Jess shifted a little closer to Rory in his sleep but didn't wake.  
  
Lorelai sighed.  
  
"He kissed back?" Rory hissed quietly. "He looked too stunned to kiss back."  
  
"I don't know," Lorelai replied desperately. "I could have imagined that he kissed back... couldn't I?"  
  
Rory gave her a confused look. "Can you imagine something like that?"  
  
"I don't know! Maybe... maybe he just kissed back out of reflex."  
  
Rory shrugged, and nudged Jess a little. "Hey."  
  
"Mm."  
  
She snickered a little. "Hey, Sleepy, waky-waky."  
  
He sighed and shifted closer to her. "I would... but unless I have incentive, it's not happening."  
  
"Dirty," Lorelai snickered.  
  
Jess squinted his eyes open and sat up to look over at the floor where Lorelai was sitting. "Well... that killed the mood."  
  
"Morning, Honey," Lorelai teased. "You're cute when you sleep."  
  
Jess flopped back down. "Jesus..."  
  
"No, he's not here," Lorelai replied.  
  
"Why did you wake me up?" Jess asked.  
  
"Mom liked kissing Luke."  
  
Jess groaned. "No. No, we are not having this conversation. Ever." He took the blanket and threw it over his head.  
  
"She's says he's a good kisser," Rory snickered.  
  
Jess flung blanket off and looked at his girlfriend. "You know who else is a good kisser?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
Jess smirked at her.  
  
Lorelai was up like a shot. "And on that note, I'm leaving."  
  
"Good," Jess replied. "Because this next part will blind you."  
  
Lorelai rolled her eyes, and rushed out of the room, closing the door behind her to the sounds of laughter.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, Jess walked into the diner, trailed by Rory, who took a seat at the counter. Jess immediately grabbed the coffee pot and a mug for Rory.  
  
"You're late," Luke told his nephew as he placed an order with Caesar.  
  
"Way to state the obvious," Jess muttered, pouring the coffee for Rory.  
  
"So... Rory..." Luke said, clearing his throat. "Where's... ah..."  
  
"Lorelai?" Jess offered.  
  
"Yeah... Lorelai."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and walked off to take Ms. Patty's order.  
  
"Home," Rory replied. "She claimed she wasn't feeling well this morning, so she's still in bed."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Rory nodded. "Mhm."  
  
"That's uh... I hope she feels better."  
  
"I'll tell her you said so."  
  
Luke's eyes shot to her. "Oh... you ah... you don't have to tell her anything from me... I mean... you can if you want...just..."  
  
Patty blinked and looked up at Jess, who was writing her order. "Honey, sit with me for a minute, will you?"  
  
Jess gave her a wary look.  
  
"Well, sit."  
  
He slowly sat down, his suspicious glower still in place.  
  
"Now... I have a feeling you know something I don't," Patty said, smiling. "Why don't you tell Ms. Patty what it is?"  
  
"I know nothing."  
  
"Where's Lorelai this morning?"  
  
"Not feeling well."  
  
"She comes into the diner for coffee even when she isn't," Patty pointed out.  
  
"Well, she didn't wanna get out of bed this morning, so we left her."  
  
"This is not like Lorelai."  
  
"Maybe it's her evil clone," Jess said.  
  
"You know... Luke has been acting a little jumpy this morning..."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"Something didn't... happen between those two, did it?" Patty asked, leaning closer to him.  
  
"You'd have to ask Luke," Jess replied, hearing the phone ring.  
  
"Oh, now don't be that way, Jess," Patty said affectionately. "You know, I've always liked you. You're very cute. Why don't you tell me what's going on between Luke and Lorelai?"  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"Because I have to work." Patty pouted a little as Jess made his way to the counter and took the phone from Luke. "Hello?" He smirked. "Hey, Lily... No, I'm not too busy."  
  
Luke glared.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, I miss you guys, too... Yeah, I've read it..." He wrinkled his nose. "Ugh... you women and your Rand!"  
  
"Oh!" Rory smiled leaning forward. "Oh!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes at her. "Atlas Shrugged."  
  
Rory giggled and sipped her coffee.  
  
"No, you know I don't like Rand," Jess said into the phone. "Maybe because she's a political psycho... She is!" He sighed and looked to Luke. "I gotta take this upstairs."  
  
"No, you have to work," Luke told him. "Say goodbye to your sister, and hang up the phone."  
  
"She's not my sister," Jess corrected. "She's the constant thorn in my side." He laughed a little into the phone. "You wanna talk to Rory?"  
  
"Don't tie up the phone!" Luke scolded. "What if customers call?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "Hold on, Lily." He handed the phone to Rory.  
  
"Hey, Lily!"  
  
"Hey, Rory," Lily replied. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm good," Rory replied. "You and Jess are on good terms again?"  
  
"Yeah," Lily replied. "I miss him but there's a chance we might see him for Christmas."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Rory asked. "He didn't mention."  
  
"He doesn't know," Lily snickered. "We're trying to be devious."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"It's kind of hard," Lily went on. "Jimmy isn't too good at the whole evil plot thing."  
  
"Which is surprising, because Jess is a master," Rory snickered.  
  
Jess raised an eyebrow at her as he went to refill coffees.  
  
"I know," Lily laughed. "When he was here, we did all sorts of stuff! He taught me how to draw a chalk outline of a body, and how to pulls quarters out from behind peoples' ears!"  
  
Rory tried not to laugh. "Please don't draw chalk outlines of bodies, Lily. It scares people."  
  
"But Jess says that's the funny part."  
  
"Uh-huh," Rory nodded.  
  
"Hey, Rory, I have to go," Lily said. "Tell Jess I said bye, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Bye, Lily." She handed the phone back to Luke, who hung it up, and she kicked Jess as he walked past her.  
  
He almost tripped, coffee pot still in hand. "Hey!"  
  
"What are you teaching her?"  
  
"Nothing that won't be useful somewhere down the line."  
  
"Sasha will never forgive you if Lily turns out to be juvenile delinquent," Rory pointed out.  
  
"With Jimmy around, how can she avoid it?" Jess countered.  
  
Rory sighed. "Gimme more coffee?"  
  
He leaned over to her from across the counter. "Magic words?"  
  
"I love you?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and poured her more coffee.  
  
"Wow, I didn't think that would work," Rory snickered.  
  
"Jess, go get the tomato sauce out of the store room," Luke ordered.  
  
"Can Rory come?"  
  
Luke scrunched up his face. "No. Just... go."  
  
Jess shrugged at Rory. "It was worth a shot."  
  
Rory smiled and watched him go, just as Lorelai walked up and sat next to her. "Hey, I thought you were staying at home."  
  
"I was," Lorelai replied grouchily. "But I got lazy, and I didn't want to make my own coffee."  
  
Rory shook her head.  
  
Luke turned around, and cleared his throat, not looking at Lorelai. "Hey, Lorelai."  
  
"Hey, Luke," she replied, her voice a fake form of cheerful.  
  
"What'll it be?" He asked, looking down at his order pad.  
  
"Uhm... coffee, and... chocolate chip pancakes with a side order of bacon, sausage and onion rings."  
  
He nodded as he scribbled. "Great... just... great... Rory?"  
  
"Same, sans the bacon," Rory replied.  
  
"Okay," Luke replied. "I'll put these in with Caesar and they should be ready soon."  
  
"Thanks," Rory said.  
  
Luke nodded, and still didn't meet Lorelai's eyes. "So ah... you're feeling better?"  
  
"Oh, yeah," Lorelai nodded. "I feel great now."  
  
Luke nodded yet again. "Great."  
  
"Great," Lorelai nodded.  
  
"Great," Luke nodded back.  
  
Luke stood there a moment more as silence overcame them.  
  
"Great," Jess added loudly, making both adults jump.  
  
"Jess!" Luke snapped.  
  
"I'm so sorry I interrupted your painfully tense and awkward moment," Jess told his uncle sarcastically. "I'll never, ever do it again." He handed Luke, who was on his way to the kitchen, the can of tomato sauce and then poured Lorelai her coffee.  
  
"Thank you, Jess," Lorelai said, her voice half amused and half annoyed.  
  
"I live to serve," he droned.  
  
Lorelai reached out and pinched his cheek. "And you're just so good at it, too."  
  
He swatted her hand away and glared.  
  
"Leave him alone, Mom, he's had a rough morning," Rory giggled.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"She hid my shoes," Jess muttered.  
  
Lorelai laughed. "Where?"  
  
"One in the cookie jar-"  
  
"The cookie jar?" Lorelai cried. "How could you? Now our cookies will smell like Jess feet! Yuck!"  
  
"Relax, I took the cookies out first," Rory reassured her mother. "The other one wound up in the bathroom closet."  
  
"With the tampons?" Lorelai asked.  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
The older Gilmore laughed at Jess. "You had to sift through tampons!"  
  
He blushed ever-so-slightly and grabbed his order pad again. "I gotta work."  
  
The two girls snickered as he walked off.  
  
"You're right," Lorelai said. "He's adorable when he turns red. What brought on the shoe swiping?"  
  
Rory smiled. "Just a little sweet revenge."  
  
"Lorelai!"  
  
She turned to see Taylor approaching her. "Hi, Taylor."  
  
"I need a favor from you," Taylor said, sitting down next to her.  
  
"Okay, but it won't come cheap," she replied. She turned to Rory. "Didn't we raise my prices last month?"  
  
Rory nodded matter-of-factly. "And I get a bigger percent."  
  
"I'm being serious, ladies," Taylor warned. "The weather forecasters are predicting rain on Halloween."  
  
"Oh, no," Rory said seriously. "The masquerade will be rained out."  
  
"Precisely," Taylor nodded. He looked at Lorelai. "We need to use the Dragonfly."  
  
Lorelai blinked. "You do?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes! It's the perfect place!"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Please, Lorelai!"  
  
"Why can't you use the school gym?" Rory asked.  
  
"It's very difficult to make the gym look festive for Halloween," Taylor replied. "That atmosphere of the Dragonfly would be perfect if it were decorated."  
  
Lorelai sighed. "We don't have any guests for that night yet... I have to talk to Sookie and Michel..."  
  
Luke walked over and set their food down. "Here you go."  
  
"Thanks, Luke," Rory said.  
  
Lorelai nodded, not looking up at Luke. "Yeah, thanks, Luke."  
  
He nodded and rushed off as quickly as he could.  
  
Taylor watched him go. "He's acting strangely."  
  
"What?" Lorelai asked abruptly. "Of course he's not! Why would you say that?"  
  
"He didn't have one snide remark for me."  
  
"I do," Jess jumped in as he refilled Lorelai's coffee. "I've got lots."  
  
"I am in no mood for your insults, Young Man," Taylor glared. "You would do well to keep them to yourself."  
  
"Oh, Taylor's mad," Jess taunted. "Rory, hold me, I'm so afraid."  
  
Luke walked over and dragged Jess away by the collar of his shirt. "Work."  
  
Jess sighed. "Just when I was getting started." 


	41. Tricks and Tights

A/N: Yes, I realize that Holly Gilmore just did her Halloween chapter in "Next, On Gilmore Girls" but I am NOT copying her. Its pure coincidence and I realized this last night when I was typing this part up. So please, don't think I'm trying to steal ideas or anything. It just happened. :/  
  
A/N: Despite my promise to myself that I would start being nicer to Dean... I failed... I'm sorry...  
  
"Your horns are crooked."  
  
Jess looked in the mirror and straightened the pair of red horns that seemed to protrude from his forehead.  
  
Luke shook his head. "It's creepy how real those look."  
  
Jess shrugged and straightened out his black slacks and matching dress shirt. "How do you know they're fake?"  
  
Luke raised an eyebrow at the red tail that was protruding from the back of his nephew's slacks. It really did look all too real. "What are you supposed to be, anyways?"  
  
"Lucifer."  
  
"Now, that's fitting," Luke snorted out.  
  
"Yeah?" Jess asked, glancing at his uncle. "Going as yourself isn't gonna cut it."  
  
"Not going."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Don't want to."  
  
Jess smirked. "This wouldn't have to do with a certain neurotic inn keeper, now, would it?"  
  
"No," Luke snapped, sitting on the couch in his apartment. "I just don't wanna go."  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"You just don't wanna see Lorelai."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Shut up. It's not true."  
  
"Prove it."  
  
Luke glared.  
  
******  
  
Luke grumbled as he followed Jess into the Dragonfly that night. Most of the town had showed up for the event, obviously getting there a little early to beat the rain that was now pouring steadily outside.  
  
Luke fussed with his tuxedo. "I can't believe you talked me into this."  
  
Jess shrugged.  
  
"What am I supposed to be, anyways?"  
  
"Two options," Jess replied. "James Bond, or a waiter. Take your pick."  
  
"Bond is fine," Luke nodded grimly. "I'm gonna go... hide... or... mingle... or... I'm just gonna go walk around."  
  
"Have fun with that," Jess told him. He watched his uncle walk off, and then looked around at the inhabitants of the Inn, all of which were dressed up in costumes.  
  
He spotted Kirk, who was wearing what looked to be a superman suit, only with a K instead of the traditional S on the chest. Lane, Dave, Brian and Zach were dressed as The Beatles, wearing stuffy-looking suits and mop wigs. He glanced around and saw Richard Gilmore done up in a tuxedo with a long cape and a half-mask. Next to him, Emily wore a plain pink dress. Jess assumed she was supposed to be the Christine to Richard's Phantom of the Opera.  
  
Sookie, Lorelai and Jackson all looked like they'd just stepped out of Gone with the Wind,' the girls wearing old-time southern belle dresses, and Jackson wearing a nice civil war era suit.  
  
And then he spotted Dean and Lindsay, who were dressed as Robin Hood and Maid Marian.  
  
Jess studied their costumes carefully, right down to Lindsay's elaborate hair band, and Dean's green tights.  
  
Tights.  
  
Dean. In tight.  
  
Dean.  
  
In.  
  
Tights.  
  
Jess smiled. Really smiled. "If God exists... He loves me."  
  
"She certainly does."  
  
He jumped ever-so-slightly and turned to see Rory standing behind him. Her knee-length dress was white, and had wings attached to the back of it. Her hair was down, but pulled away from her face, and she was covered head to sandal-covered feet in soft glitter.  
  
All thoughts of Tormenting Dean were forgotten.  
  
"Wow."  
  
She smiled and blushed. "Nice horns."  
  
He smirked and shrugged, offering her an arm. "So, God..."  
  
"Yes, Lucifer?" Rory replied, taking his arm.  
  
"When do I get to spike the punch with the blood of the damned?"  
  
"When I let you back into heaven."  
  
"Huh... SOL, then."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Jess blinked, remembering the green tights. "Have you seen Dean?"  
  
"I have," Rory nodded.  
  
"He's wearing tights."  
  
"He said the costumes were Lindsay's idea."  
  
Jess raised an eyebrow. "You're talking?"  
  
She nodded. "Since over the summer... I've gotten to know Lindsay a little better; too... she's really nice."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"He's wearing tights, Rory."  
  
"Do not saying anything mean," she ordered. "If we run into them, be civil."  
  
"They're green."  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"He's causing trouble already?" Gloria asked, walking over to them. She was wearing a Chilton uniform and a blond wig that was tightly braided.  
  
Jess blinked at her. "What are you?"  
  
"Paris Gellar. Rory let me borrow her uniform."  
  
"Terrifying," Jess nodded.  
  
"You know what's even more terrifying?" Rory asked. She nodded to Paris, who was wearing a short skirt, a clingy tank top and a dark, curly wig.  
  
Jess laughed.  
  
Gloria glared as Paris walked over.  
  
"Hello, all," she said. "God... Satan..." She glared at Gloria. "Paris."  
  
Rory giggled.  
  
Gloria raised an eyebrow at Paris. "Gloria."  
  
"How's Asher?"  
  
"Sixty and still going strong," Gloria replied in her best Paris impersonation. "The Viagra helps."  
  
Paris stared in shock as Rory buried her face in Jess's arm, trying not to laugh.  
  
"How's Jamie?" Gloria asked.  
  
"Still dumb as hell, but a good lay," Paris replied.  
  
Gloria snickered. "Gloria, you ignorant slut."  
  
"I don't know who's more annoying," Jess said.  
  
Paris punched him in the arm, and he blinked down at it and then back at her.  
  
"What?" Paris asked. "I'm trying to be in character."  
  
"You did it wrong," Gloria chastised. She slugged Jess in the same arm.  
  
He flinched. "Ow."  
  
"Hey!" Rory cried, hugging Jess possessively. "Don't break my boyfriend."  
  
"I can't," Gloria lamented. "I've tried."  
  
"Hey, Rory."  
  
The group turned to see Dean and Lindsay walk up.  
  
Jess blinked.  
  
Tights.  
  
So easy.  
  
"Hey, Dean, hey, Lindsay," Rory smiled, her arms still around Jess. "Having fun?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, this is great," Lindsay smiled back. "You guys?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah."  
  
Dean blinked from Gloria to Paris. "Nice costumes."  
  
"Thanks!" Gloria beamed. Paris just rolled her eyes.  
  
Rory placed a foot directly over Jess's.  
  
He glanced down and blinked. He knew this position. This position said "Say anything mean, and your toes don't live to see the sunrise."  
  
Jess sighed silently, tortured.  
  
******  
  
"Luke! Don't you look handsome!"  
  
He turned to see Miss Patty make her way over to him, and silently panicked. She was wearing a 20's flapper outfit. "Uh... Hey, Patty... Thanks..."  
  
"Who are you supposed to be?" Patty asked with a wide smile.  
  
"I'm... James Bond..." Luke muttered.  
  
Patty's smile grew wider. "Really now..."  
  
"Luke!"  
  
His eyes shot up and he turned around to see Lorelai waving him over. She was wearing a white and green southern belle dress and her hair was pulled back into a neat bun.  
  
"Uhm... excuse me," Luke said, rushing away in a hurry.  
  
Patty snickered. "Don't stay away too long!"  
  
He cringed and rushed over to Lorelai. "Thanks for the save."  
  
She nodded. "You looked like you needed a save."  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
"So... I thought you said you weren't coming," Lorelai inquired, her tone slightly nervous.  
  
He shifted on his feet a little. "Well... Jess decided that if he had to be put through this so did I."  
  
Lorelai glanced over to Rory and Jess. He looked like she'd he was in pain, and Rory was smiling politely. 'Good girl,' she thought, and then turned back to Luke. "Oh... well... Good! I'm glad you came. Nice tux."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She snickered a little. "I didn't know you owned one."  
  
He smiled and laughed a little. "Neither did I actually... Jess found it in there... it was a last minute deal."  
  
"Well, anything is better than Super Kirk," Lorelai said, nodding to where Kirk was standing.  
  
Luke followed her gaze and smirked. "True."  
  
They stood in silence for a moment.  
  
Lorelai sighed. "Listen, Luke... About what happened last week... at Sofia's... I'm really sorry if my kissing you threw you for a loop... It was so spontaneous and out of the blue, and I'm really sorry..."  
  
"Hey, no it's okay," Luke replied, putting up his hands. "I understand. That Jamie kid is pretty creepy."  
  
"Yeah, thank god he's not here tonight," Lorelai said. "Gloria told me he's in jail again, and we're instructed not to tell Jess."  
  
Luke smirked. "Check."  
  
"I hope that we're still... friends, after what happened," Lorelai said. "I know it was really wrong of me to just... grab like I did, and-"  
  
"Of course we're friends," Luke replied. "Just... let's just pretend it... it never happened."  
  
"Uhm... okay," Lorelai said, forcing a smile. "That... that works."  
  
Luke nodded, still feeling a little self conscious. "Do you ah... do you want something to drink?"  
  
Lorelai smiled for real this time. "Sure."  
  
He nodded and walked off.  
  
She gave a slightly depressed sigh. "What happen to the original plan of asking him out?" she muttered to herself. "God, I'm such a chicken!"  
  
"Are you talking to yourself?" Emily asked, walking up to her daughter.  
  
"What?" Lorelai jumped. "Mom! Hi! Having fun?"  
  
Emily smiled. "Yes, actually. This is quite the party. Your father is enjoying himself immensely."  
  
Lorelai smiled. "Great!"  
  
Luke walked back over. "Here ya go," he said, handing Lorelai a drink. "Oh, Hi, Mrs. Gilmore."  
  
"Luke, yes?" Emily asked. "Jess's uncle?"  
  
Luke nodded. "That would be me."  
  
"What, Rory?!"  
  
Rory stormed over, dragging Jess by the arm. "I said be nice!"  
  
"All I said was 'nice tights,'" Jess defended himself.  
  
"Right before you muttered something derogatory about his manhood," Rory pointed out.  
  
"Those things looked a little on the snug side. It's not like he heard me... and also? It was about his lack of manhood."  
  
"He was being nice," Rory said. "You should be nice, too!"  
  
"I'm not used to him being nice," Jess replied. "I'm used to him trying to pulp my insides."  
  
"Trouble in paradise?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Jess is being a jerk," Rory told her.  
  
"I am a jerk," Jess told her. "You know that."  
  
"Can't you at least try and be nice?" Rory pleaded. "Please? For the sake of my sanity?"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Fine."  
  
"What did you say?" Luke asked, not at all surprised that his nephew was causing trouble yet again.  
  
"I'm not allowed to repeat it," Jess grumbled. "If I say it again, Rory says I'm not allowed to touch her for a week..."  
  
Lorelai smiled and put a proud arm around her daughter. "Good girl."  
  
Rory giggled.  
  
Emily cleared her throat, and all eyes went to her.  
  
Rory blushed, and Jess cleared his throat a little.  
  
"Hi, Grandma."  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Gilmore."  
  
"Rory, Jess," Emily nodded. "I trust you two are having a nice time?"  
  
"Great," Rory nodded.  
  
"Wonderful," Jess mumbled.  
  
Rory tried to hold back a snicker.  
  
******  
  
Taylor had ended the party at around eleven, and a small group, consisting of Lorelai, Sookie, Jackson (who was mostly looking after Davie), Jess, Rory, Lane and Dave, had stayed to clean up the mess that had been left in the Dragonfly.  
  
By the time they finished, the rain was coming down harder and faster than it had before.  
  
Lorelai sighed as she looked out the window. "Did anyone actually drive here?"  
  
"We got here before it started raining, remember?" Sookie said, gesturing to herself, Jackson and Davie. "So did you and Rory."  
  
"We walked," Jess said.  
  
"Us, too," Dave said.  
  
Lorelai nodded and kept looking out the window. "I don't think anybody's going to be walking out in this. It's awful out there."  
  
"So we'll wait it out," Luke shrugged.  
  
"There's no point in that, it's really late," Sookie said. "Why don't we all just stay the night? It's no big deal."  
  
Lorelai shrugged. "We are in an inn." She sighed and pulled out the keys to the rooms from the concierge desk. "Okay... let's see..." She began to hand out room keys.  
  
*****  
  
Rory sighed as the creaking noises became louder. She sat up and looked around the dark room. "Okay... it's Halloween night... you're alone in a room... not yours... in a very old inn... it's raining... and thundering..." She saw a flash of light from her window. "...And lightening... and there's a really strange... Scooby-Doo-esque creaking noise coming from..." She looked around. "...Somewhere..." She sighed and tried to turn on the bedside lamp. It didn't work. "Great... power's probably out..." She sighed again, and looked around. "It's just the wind... nothing's wrong... everything's fine... you're not scared... it's unreasonable to be scared... it's just-" She was cut off by two things. One: The loud burst of thunder from outside, and two: Her door swinging open.  
  
Rory yelped and jumped when someone ran towards her and threw them self onto to the bed.  
  
"I'm scared!"  
  
Rory blinked. "Lane?!"  
  
Lane sat next to her and hugged her. "The lightening and thunder is freaking me. And that creaking isn't helping."  
  
"Lane, why didn't you go to Dave?"  
  
"I tried, but he's sleeping," Lane replied. "I knew you'd be up."  
  
"He's not sleeping anymore."  
  
The two girls looked up to see Dave and Jess in the doorway, both looking sleepy and disheveled.  
  
"What's with the screaming?" Jess asked, squinting in the darkness.  
  
"Lane jumped me," Rory replied. "She's scared."  
  
"There's nothing to be scared of," Dave said gently. "It's just a thunderstorm."  
  
"On Halloween," Lane said. "And the creaking!"  
  
They all listened for a moment, and the creaking came again, very loudly.  
  
"It's probably just the wind," Rory said.  
  
"Or Jackson and Sookie in the midst of creating a sibling for Davie," Jess muttered.  
  
"Thanks for that," Dave said darkly. "I really needed that mental image."  
  
"You weren't confronted with Dean Forrester in green tights," Jess replied.  
  
"Oh, we were," Lane chimed in. "It was a neat costume."  
  
Jess and Dave both cringed at the prospect of tights being "neat."  
  
"I'm going back to bed," Jess grumbled.  
  
Dave nodded. "I like that idea."  
  
"Stay!" Lane said. "Please? We can have a sleepover."  
  
The creaking came again, louder this time.  
  
"God, what is that?" Rory asked, sounding slightly nervous.  
  
Jess sighed, noticing her anxious tone. He turned around and walked over and got into the bed on Rory's other side, laying down.  
  
Rory smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes and turned over to go to sleep.  
  
Dave shrugged and got in on Lane's other side. "Okay. Let's just sleep."  
  
The creaking came again and Lane held onto Dave for dear life.  
  
*****  
  
"I am never sleeping in a bed with three other people ever again," Jess grumbled as he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen.  
  
Rory followed. "It wasn't that bad."  
  
"You weren't nearly knocked off of the bed," Jess replied.  
  
"I was," Dave said, also following them, with Lane behind him. "And Lane's feet are freezing."  
  
"Are not!" Lane snickered.  
  
"Oh, yes they are," Rory said.  
  
"So are yours," Jess chimed in.  
  
Rory pouted. "They're not that bad."  
  
Jess smirked and put an arm around her as they walked into the kitchen.  
  
Lorelai looked up at them from her cup of coffee. "Hey, guys. Sleep okay?"  
  
"The room was great, Mom," Rory said. "But that creaking noise was unbearable."  
  
Lorelai looked a little confused. "Creaking noise?"  
  
Lane blinked as she watched Rory walk over to get coffee. "Yeah, didn't you hear it?"  
  
Lorelai blinked, and looked at Sookie as she walked in. "Sook, did you hear a creaking noise last night?"  
  
Sookie looked from Lorelai to the quartet of nineteen-year-olds and shrugged, before rushing away.  
  
Luke walked in and sat down next to Lorelai with a cup of juice. "Hey, guys."  
  
"Hey," Dave nodded. "You hear creaking last night?"  
  
Luke blinked and glanced at Lorelai. "Creaking?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
Luke shrugged at Dave.  
  
They all glanced at each other, obviously a little confused, and started roaming around, gathering food for breakfast.  
  
Lorelai smirked behind her coffee cup. 


	42. Emily In New Haven

Parts of this chapter are based on Spoilers! I won't say which ones, for those spoiler-sensitive people, but just a warning.  
  
Emily in New Haven  
  
"I've got some bad news," Luke said gravely as Jess walked into the diner the next Friday.  
  
"Jess!"  
  
"She's back," Jess groaned.  
  
Liz smiled and hugged Jess.  
  
"That's not the bad news," Luke said. "Tell him the bad news, Liz."  
  
She smiled. "I signed the two of you and TJ up for dancing lessons at Ms. Patty's!"  
  
Jess blinked. "No."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"That's nice," Jess told her. "I'm not going."  
  
"Yes your are," Liz replied. "I want you to look good at my wedding."  
  
"I'm not planning on dancing at your wedding."  
  
"Neither am I," Luke chimed in. "So this is really unnecessary."  
  
Liz pouted. "Please?"  
  
"Aw god," Jess complained. "The pout."  
  
"Be strong," Luke ordered. "Don't give in."  
  
******  
  
Jess and Luke stood awkwardly in Patty's studio, next to TJ, who looked excited.  
  
"What a neat place," TJ said. "This is pretty neat."  
  
Neither Jess nor Luke replied.  
  
"Ah, cheer up, guys, this is gonna be fun."  
  
"As much fun as a hernia," Luke muttered.  
  
"Kill me," Jess said simply.  
  
Patty walked in and smiled at them. "Hello, boys."  
  
TJ smiled. "Hi."  
  
Jess turned to leave, but Luke grabbed him before he could escape.  
  
*****  
  
Jess walked into his apartment on Sunday evening and flopped down on the couch.  
  
"It couldn't have been that bad," Rory snickered, walking in after him, carrying a couple of pizza boxes.  
  
"Oh, it was."  
  
"How bad?"  
  
"I was forced to dance with Babette."  
  
Rory sat next to him and set the boxes down on the coffee table. "At least you didn't have to dance with Kirk... I don't think Luke will ever forgive Patty for that."  
  
"I don't think my mother will ever forgive Patty for hitting on TJ."  
  
Rory snickered. "Well, that just makes him an honorary resident of Stars Hollow."  
  
"God help him."  
  
She sighed and took out a slice of pizza. "So what's tonight's selection? And if you say Almost Famous, I'm not going to be happy."  
  
He rolled his eyes and handed her the movie.  
  
She looked down at it. "High Fidelity. John Cusak. Not bad."  
  
"Great soundtrack."  
  
"And Jack Black as the comic relief."  
  
"That's different from any other movie he's ever been in?" Jess asked.  
  
"You have a point." She took a bite of her slice of pizza. "So when's the wedding?"  
  
"Jack Black's?"  
  
She smirked. "Your mom's."  
  
"Couple of weeks."  
  
"Wow, that's soon," Rory replied. "They've got everything set up?"  
  
Jess nodded. "For the most part... I have to go to TJ's bachelor party...and... my mom asked me to ask you to come to the bridal shower."  
  
"Oh... wow... Okay, that... sounds like fun...?"  
  
He nodded. "So... movie?"  
  
She smiled. "Pop it in."  
  
He nodded and got up to put it in. He flopped back down next to her and used the remote to turn it on. She curled up against him with her pizza, and the movie started.  
  
There was a knock on the door.  
  
Jess sighed and leaned his head back against the couch.  
  
Rory smirked. "Gonna get that?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Could be important."  
  
He sighed and got to his feet. He walked over and looked out the peep- hole, and blinked.  
  
Rory smiled at him. "What?"  
  
He opened the door, and blinked more.  
  
"Hello, Jess."  
  
"Mrs. Gilmore."  
  
Rory blinked and got to her feet. "Grandma?"  
  
"Hello, Rory," Emily said, walking into the apartment. She looked around, curiously. "Well... this is very nice, Jess."  
  
"Uh... thank you..."  
  
"Grandma, what are you doing here?" Rory asked.  
  
"Well... you left your scarf at dinner on Friday," Emily said, holding out the bundle of wool. "I called your mother and she said you were... here."  
  
"Oh," Rory replied softly, turning red. "Thanks." She walked over and took the scarf. "You didn't have to come all this way. I could have gotten it next Friday."  
  
"I wasn't sure if you had another scarf," Emily told her. "You might need it."  
  
"Well... thank you."  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
"So, what are you two up to tonight?"  
  
"Movie," Jess replied.  
  
"Oh, well, that sounds lovely, what movie?" Emily asked pleasantly.  
  
"High Fidelity," Rory told her. "It's based on a novel."  
  
"How nice."  
  
They stood in more silence.  
  
Emily sighed. "Well...I should probably get going... good night."  
  
Rory walked forward and hugged her. "Thanks, Grandma."  
  
"Have a good day in classes tomorrow," Emily smiled a little and walked out.  
  
Jess closed the door behind her and blinked. "Huh."  
  
"That was..."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Movie?" Rory asked.  
  
He nodded, but neither of them moved.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He looked up at her quizzically.  
  
"Do you love me?" she asked. She hadn't even known where it had come from. Seeing her grandmother... it made her think. She knew exactly what her grandmother thought of Jess. Emily thought that Jess was using Rory. Emily really doubted that Jess loved Rory, and she was beginning to wonder why, exactly.  
  
He blinked. "You know."  
  
She bit her lip and stood in silence.  
  
"Is this about Emily?" Jess asked.  
  
Rory sighed. "She thinks that... you don't."  
  
"She said that?"  
  
"No, but she doesn't really have to," she replied. "I just... I wonder why she thinks that."  
  
"Because she doesn't like me," Jess replied. "You know she doesn't like me, and she doesn't trust me, and you told me that it didn't matter."  
  
"I just think that there has to be some other reason for her to think that."  
  
"And the obvious answer is that I don't love you," Jess nodded. "Thanks."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"Save it," he snapped. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.  
  
She followed him. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Out."  
  
"This is your apartment."  
  
"Huh." With that, he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.  
  
*****  
  
"Jess, it's been days."  
  
He didn't reply, only kept reading.  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "You're impossible. She's asked about you a million times!"  
  
"Huh."  
  
They were sitting in a dark, smoky club the next Friday night. Around them, TJ's bachelor party was going on. Strippers roamed around, and the men who had shown up seemed to be having a good time.  
  
"She loves you, Jess," Luke said.  
  
Jess still didn't reply.  
  
"Hey, guys! Having fun?"  
  
Luke looked up and rolled his eyes. "More fun than you could possibly imagine, TJ." He sighed. "I'm gonna go get a drink."  
  
"Can I get a beer?" Jess asked, still not looking up.  
  
"In your wildest dreams," Luke replied as he walked off.  
  
Jess sighed, still reading.  
  
"You know," TJ said. "You read more than any kid I've ever seen."  
  
"Well, aren't I special?"  
  
"I'm gonna start calling you Read."  
  
Jess still didn't look up, completely serious. "That... is the cleverest thing I have ever heard in my entire life."  
  
"You ever gonna put that thing down?" TJ asked.  
  
"Magic Eight Ball says... Not likely."  
  
"Come on!" TJ smiled. "Get up and have some fun."  
  
"This is fun."  
  
"Come on!" TJ smacked the book right out of Jess's hand.  
  
Jess blinked, and stared down at the book, eyebrow raised. He so wasn't in the mood for this.  
  
*****  
  
Rory was sitting on the front porch swing of her mother's house, looking out. Inside, Liz's bridal shower was going on.  
  
"Room for two?"  
  
Rory looked up. "Oh, hey, Liz, what are you doing out here?"  
  
Liz shrugged and smiled as she sat down next to her. "Just thought I'd see how you were doing."  
  
"I'm okay."  
  
"Luke told me you and Jess aren't speaking," Liz said.  
  
Rory sighed. "Yeah... I messed up."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I... My grandmother doesn't like Jess," Rory explained. "She's really suspicious of him, I think, and so, the other night, she showed up, and I just started thinking... why doesn't she like Jess? Why doesn't she think that Jess loves me?"  
  
"So..."  
  
"So I asked him if he loves me."  
  
Liz cringed. "Has he told you before?"  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
"Love... it's a scary thing for Jess," Liz said. "It's hard for him."  
  
"I know, and I shouldn't have doubted," Rory replied. She sniffed a little. "I don't doubt... I just... I like hearing him say it. I want him to say it."  
  
Liz nodded, and put a comforting arm around her. "I'll tell you this: I love my brother. He's one of the only family members I got left. And I love Jess. He's my boy. And Lemme tell ya... neither of them like TJ."  
  
Rory smiled at the older woman.  
  
"But, as you can see," Liz went on, holding up her hand to show off her engagement ring. "That doesn't stop me from loving him."  
  
Rory's smile widened.  
  
*****  
  
Luke dragged Jess out of the nightclub and shoved him into the parking lot. "What is it with you?!"  
  
"He started it."  
  
"Jess! He's TJ!" Luke yelled. "He's too stupid to start anything!"  
  
"He knocked the book out of my hand."  
  
"And so you had to hit back."  
  
"And then he hit me back."  
  
"And then you slugged him in the face, Jess!"  
  
"He was asking for it!"  
  
"No!" Luke yelled. "When someone asks to be slugged in the face, they say 'hey! Slug me in the face!' TJ was not asking to be slugged in the face!"  
  
Jess rolled his eyes.  
  
Luke sighed. "Go home, Jess."  
  
He nodded and walked off. 


	43. Of Mothers and Sons

Of mother's and sons  
  
"...So then he knocks the book right outta my hand."  
  
Gloria snickered as she threw a right hook at Jess and missed. "Bad move. Didn't Lizzie warn him about you?"  
  
They were sparring in the gym in New York the next morning. Jess had called in to Luke's, telling him he wasn't coming in. Luke hadn't been happy, but Jess hadn't really cared too much.  
  
"Obviously not," Jess replied. "So I hit him. And then he hit me. And then I sucker-punched him in the face."  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"And then Luke came up, and I almost hit him."  
  
"Jess!" Gloria cried, slugging him in the stomach.  
  
He heaved, and stumbled back a little. "I had momentum. I think he told Liz this morning. I don't think she's going to be speaking to me any time soon."  
  
Gloria tilted her head and nodded past him. "Wouldn't be too sure about that..."  
  
Jess looked over as Liz walked in and Gloria sucker-punched him in the face. He went down hard and Liz rushed over.  
  
"Jess! Oh, my god, are you alright?!" Liz cried, leaning into the ring a little.  
  
He shook his head out and wiped blood from his lip. "Liz?"  
  
"Hi. What was that?"  
  
"Gloria's death wish," Jess muttered, dragging himself to his feet. "That was cheap."  
  
Gloria laughed. "But funny."  
  
"You're going down."  
  
"Can we talk, Jess?" Liz asked.  
  
"Go ahead," he replied, swinging a fist at Gloria's gut.  
  
She heaved a little recovered.  
  
"What was with you last night?" Liz asked.  
  
"TJ provoked me," he replied, dodging Gloria's fist.  
  
"And Luke?"  
  
"He had momentum," Gloria supplied.  
  
Jess glared.  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"He knocked a book out of my hand," Jess told her. "I wasn't in the mood."  
  
"Never are," Gloria commented.  
  
Jess swung a fist and clipped her jaw, causing her to spin and grab the side of the ring.  
  
"Can't you ever stop hitting people?!" Liz cried.  
  
Jess sighed, and hopped out of the ring to face his mother.  
  
"If this is how you're going to be-"  
  
"How I'm gonna be?" Jess shot. "I've always been this way!"  
  
"Then don't come to the wedding!" She snapped harshly.  
  
Gloria watched them stare at each other, and saw the slightest hint of hurt in his eyes.  
  
"Fine," Jess said softly.  
  
Liz immediately regretted her words. "Jess..."  
  
"I'd just... screw everything up for you...."  
  
"No," Liz cringed. "Jess, stop."  
  
He didn't reply, only pushed past her and walked into the locker room.  
  
******  
  
"Hiya, Ma!"  
  
Jimmy was promptly slapped across the face.  
  
He flinched, and put a hand to his cheek. "Ow... jeez... what was that for?"  
  
Sofia glared harshly. "Three guesses."  
  
"I didn't pick up after myself the last time I was here?"  
  
Sofia crossed her arms. "And when was the last time you were here... James?"  
  
Jimmy looked down at his shoes. "Almost twenty years ago," he muttered.  
  
Sofia nodded, arms still crossed.  
  
"I'm sorry," Jimmy muttered. "Please don't call me James."  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, letting him in.  
  
He sighed and walked in, looking around. "Liz invited me to the wedding."  
  
Sofia shook her head after closing the door behind her. "Why?"  
  
Jimmy shrugged. "I don't know... I came to see Jess, mostly. Any idea where he is?"  
  
"He's at the South Street Gym," Gloria replied, walking through the door with her gym back. "Who're you?"  
  
Jimmy blinked. "Is that...?"  
  
Sofia nodded. "Tom's girl."  
  
"Wow... She looks... different..."  
  
Sofia rolled her eyes. "Gloria, this is Jimmy."  
  
Gloria's eyes narrowed. "As in Jess's dad, Jimmy?"  
  
Sofia nodded.  
  
Gloria threw her bag down, and began to advance on him.  
  
"Gloria," Sofia warned.  
  
The younger girl sighed. "Yes, Grandma."  
  
"I see you still rule this house with an iron fist," Jimmy commented.  
  
"Well, someone has to take charge. Your father was too soft."  
  
Gloria sighed. "I'm showering. If Jamie calls, tell him to just come on over, please."  
  
Sofia nodded and watched her granddaughter walk down the hall. She turned back to Jimmy. "So... Jess tells me you sell hot dogs, now."  
  
Jimmy sighed.  
  
*****  
  
"I was outta line."  
  
"You were angry," Luke corrected as he put a plate of food down in front of his sister.  
  
Liz sighed. "I over-reacted... TJ's fine. No harm was done."  
  
Luke sighed. "Listen, if you're not gonna stand your ground, I don't wanna hear it. You're his mother, and you're gonna do what you want just like you always do, but I don't wanna hear it."  
  
"Fine," Liz shrugged. "...So... What's going on with you and Lorelai?"  
  
Luke gave her a slightly startled look. "Nothing."  
  
Liz smiled. "Nothing?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Really? Because Jess told me the other day that you guys had a pretty juicy kiss."  
  
Luke growled slightly. "That little- It was nothing. Lorelai and I are just friends."  
  
"Then why are you blushing?" Liz giggled.  
  
Luke glared and stormed into the kitchen.  
  
*****  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm in for the wedding," Jimmy replied, sitting next to his son on a bench in the gym. He hadn't been into the gym in over twenty years. It hadn't changed.  
  
"You?" Jess scoffed.  
  
"Liz invited me."  
  
"Wow."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "I think she was just being polite. Don't know if she actually wanted me to come or not... I went and saw your grandmother... she told me there was a brawl at the bachelor party."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes.  
  
"Sofia says that Liz says that Jimmy says you threw the first punch."  
  
Jess nodded. "I did. But he slapped a book outta my hands."  
  
"So you slugged him?"  
  
"No, I smacked him in the arm."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"He smacked me in the face."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Then you slugged him."  
  
Jess nodded. "And then I almost hit Luke."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"I wasn't thinking," Jess muttered. "I didn't mean to."  
  
"Did you apologize?"  
  
"Working on it."  
  
"Have you talked to Rory at all?" Jimmy asked, knowing full well that if anyone could make sense of Jess's behavior it was Rory.  
  
"We aren't speaking right now."  
  
Jimmy sighed and took the wrapping roll from next to Jess and began winding it around his knuckles.  
  
"What're you doing?"  
  
"We're gonna fight."  
  
Jess shook his head. "No, way."  
  
Jimmy laughed. "Scared?"  
  
"Yeah, that I'll hurt you," Jess replied.  
  
"Oh, please," the older Mariano rolled his eyes.  
  
"You had a heart attack," Jess pointed out.  
  
"I'm fine now," Jimmy said. He patted Jess on the shoulder and got to his feet. "Come on. I wanna see what you got."  
  
Jess sighed and got to his feet. "It's your funeral."  
  
*****  
  
Luke looked up when the bell on the door rang. "Aw, jeez!"  
  
Jess limped in, his right eye black, his lip and nose covered in dry blood, and his hands wrapped.  
  
Jimmy walked slowly behind him with barely a scratch on him.  
  
"What the hell, Jimmy?!" Luke yelled.  
  
"I lost," Jess muttered, falling into a chair and hitting his head on the table.  
  
Jimmy sat next to him. "You're the one who wouldn't give up."  
  
"I'll win next time."  
  
"Sure, Jess."  
  
"You'll regret this."  
  
Jimmy smiled. "Okay, Jess."  
  
Luke walked over with a wet rag and handed it to Jess. "What happened?"  
  
"We were boxing," Jimmy replied. "The kid wouldn't give up."  
  
"Coulda won," Jess said.  
  
"Sure thing," Jimmy smirked, and then winced, putting a couple of fingers to his bruised cheek. "You almost got me a few times."  
  
"You're both insane," Luke grumbled. "I'm gonna get some ice."  
  
"Hey, Luke?"  
  
"Yeah, Jess."  
  
"Sorry...I tried to hit you."  
  
Luke cracked a slight smirk. "Well...lesson learned." He disappeared into the kitchen.  
  
Jimmy patted Jess on the back. "Was that so hard?"  
  
Jess gave him a weak shove and Jimmy laughed.  
  
At that moment, Liz walked down the stairs. "Hey, Luke, what's-"She caught sight of them and stopped. "Oh, my god!" She rushed over and knelt in front of Jess. "What happened?"  
  
"We were boxing," Jimmy replied. "It's nothing."  
  
"Nothing?!" Liz cried. "How can you say that?! God, my poor baby."  
  
Jess shoved himself out of his chair and stumbled behind the counter and up the stairs to the apartment.  
  
Luke walked out of the kitchen just in time to hear the apartment door slam shut. He turned a glare on Jimmy and Liz. "Which one of you was it this time?"  
  
******  
  
Lorelai sighed. "Why did you go over there?"  
  
"I wanted to give Rory her scarf back," her mother replied over the phone.  
  
"They were having quiet time, Mom!"  
  
Emily sighed. "I just wanted to know what goes on behind closed doors."  
  
"They're a couple," Lorelai replied. "Normal couple-y things. They eat dinner together, and watch movie, and they read together."  
  
"And they have sex."  
  
Lorelai groaned. "That's not all their relationship is made up of. Real relationships don't work that way."  
  
"I just wanted to know!"  
  
"Mmhm. And now they're fighting," Lorelai nodded. "Real convenient, huh, Mom?"  
  
"It wasn't like that."  
  
Lorelai sighed. "I don't know how it was... I don't think I wanna know. All I know is, Jess isn't speaking to Rory, and she's miserable! And I hate it! And I have no idea where the hell Jess is this weekend, because he wasn't in the diner this morning, and Luke said he just called in, and it's ridiculous."  
  
"Are you and Luke a couple now?"  
  
"Mother!" Lorelai cried. "No! And don't change the subject!" She let out a breath to compose herself. "Are you trying to break Jess and Rory up?"  
  
Emily considered this.  
  
"Mom, come on."  
  
"No," Emily snapped. "I'm not trying to break them up! I just... I want what's best for her."  
  
"Me, too," Lorelai replied. "But that's her call. No ours. She's nineteen. She can make her own decisions about what makes her happy. And if Jess makes her happy, we have to stand aside."  
  
******  
  
"Hey, Luke."  
  
Luke looked up from lecturing Jimmy and Liz to see Rory walk in with her books. "Oh, thank god. Someone who speaks the language. Go upstairs and talk to Jess."  
  
Rory's look became slightly sad. "We're still not speaking, Luke."  
  
"Well, start speaking now!"  
  
"Luke, I-"She didn't get a chance to finish. Luke was pushing her by the shoulders over behind the counter to the stairs.  
  
"Just go talk to him," Luke pleaded. "Liz uninvited him to the wedding, and Jimmy gave him a fat lip and black eye."  
  
Rory gave a disturbed look to Jimmy and Liz.  
  
"We were boxing!" Jimmy defended.  
  
Liz rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Jimmy. Why did I even invite you?"  
  
"Because you didn't expect me to come," Jimmy smirked.  
  
"Ya got that right, buddy!" Liz snapped.  
  
Rory's eyebrows rose. "Dirty," she muttered, still being pushed toward the stairs. She sighed and climbed them.  
  
When she reached the apartment, she didn't bother knocking. She walked in, silently closing the door behind her. She could hear a Ben Folds CD playing from Jess's room. "Jess?"  
  
She got no reply. She walked over to his side of the apartment, and peaked into his room to find him sleeping in a thin t-shirt and his boxers, his hair wet. She could see the bruising on his left eye and sighed. She walked over lay down next to him, facing him, reaching gentle fingers out to touch the slightly wounded skin.  
  
He winced a little and squinted at her.  
  
"Hi," she whispered. "Ben Folds?"  
  
"Guilty pleasure," he replied, just as quietly.  
  
She nodded. "What's the song?"  
  
"Evaporated," he replied. "Gloria says it's very me."  
  
Rory nodded. "I think so."  
  
They lay in silence.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
They both said it in unison. She snickered, and he fought back a smirk.  
  
"I do love you," he told her softly.  
  
She nodded. "I love you, too. I don't want to break up over my grandmother."  
  
He smirked. "Sounds pretty lame, doesn't it?"  
  
She giggled. "Yeah, it does." She sighed. "I just wonder why it is that she doesn't think you care about me."  
  
"Because she doesn't see us like this," he replied, putting a hand through her hair. His eyes drifted closed and he kept his hand in her hair.  
  
She smiled and kissed him. "Why did Liz uninvite you to the wedding?"  
  
He sighed and opened his eyes a little. "I hit TJ."  
  
She sighed. "Jess..."  
  
"He started it."  
  
"Mature."  
  
He smirked and closed his eyes again.  
  
She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck. "You and Jimmy boxed?"  
  
He nodded, wrapping an arm around her. "He's here for the wedding."  
  
Rory nodded back. "I heard." She pulled away from him to inspect his black eye. "Does he have to be so rough?"  
  
"It's boxing, Rory."  
  
"I know, but your look like you got attacked by another swan," she snickered.  
  
He rolled his eyes. 


	44. Hot Momma and the Diner Defender

A/N: Again. Some of this is based on spoilers. Due to the fact that some people don't read spoilers, I won't tell you which part ;)  
  
Hot Momma and Diner Defender  
  
Liz sighed as she looked into Jess's room that night. He and Rory were curled up together on the bed, fast asleep. She leaned in the doorway and smiled.  
  
"Hey," Luke said walking up behind her. He looked in and rolled his eyes. "Jeez..."  
  
Liz smiled. "They're adorable... do you remember when Jess was little?"  
  
Luke nodded. "I remember when they were both little." He sighed. "I remember when Jess wore glasses, and I remember when Rory used to run around the diner telling people she was a fairy."  
  
"The prescription was so thin he didn't even need them," Liz smirked, and then her smirked turned into a full-blown smile. "A fairy?"  
  
Luke sighed. "Don't ask me."  
  
Liz nodded and looked back in at Jess and Rory. "You think he'll accept my apology?"  
  
"You shouldn't be the one apologizing," Luke told her. "He's the one who slugged your fiancé in the face..."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm the one who put out mixed signals," Liz argued. "One minute I'm uninviting my own son to my wedding, and the next I'm coddling him like he's three instead of nineteen... god he's nineteen... I'm so old..." She turned to Luke. "How did that happen?"  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine," Luke replied. He sighed. "ry not to wake Rory... Lorelai says she's a pill when she wakes up."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Downstairs to close up," Luke replied.  
  
Liz smiled as he turned to leave. "There wouldn't happen to be a Lorelai downstairs enjoying pie, now would there?"  
  
Luke glared and left.  
  
Liz smiled knowingly, and turned back to the bedroom to see that Jess was sitting up, staring at her. She watched as he carefully slid out of the bed and passed her as he walked out the door. She followed him over to stand in the kitchen area. She instinctively walked forward and began to inspect his injured eye.  
  
"Did you put ice on that?"  
  
He batted her hand away and went into the fridge, coming back out with cartons of left-over Chinese food.  
  
"Listen, Jess," Liz said uneasily. "I'm really sorry... I was just so angry... You can't go around hitting people like that."  
  
Still, he didn't reply, only put some Chinese food in the microwave and turned it on.  
  
"TJ's a good man, Jess," Liz went on. "He makes me really happy. I haven't been this happy since..."  
  
Jess stopped and turned to her, understanding.  
  
"I want you to be happy that I'm happy," she said. "I want you at my wedding... in fact..." she smiled. "I have a special job for you."  
  
*****  
  
"You're an awful, evil woman."  
  
Liz snickered as they stood at the foot of the outdoor congregation. Most of Stars Hollow had turned out for the wedding. "You know you love me."  
  
"God help me."  
  
She sighed as the music started playing. "All set?"  
  
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Jess asked.  
  
"I'm all set."  
  
"Good. Let's get this over with."  
  
*****  
  
"Remember the last wedding we were at?"  
  
"You weren't actually at the wedding," Rory snickered. "You stood off to the side and shocked me out of my skin."  
  
Jess shrugged. "I felt present... I felt like the groom."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Well, I did get kissed."  
  
Rory blushed. "Yeah, well..."  
  
He smirked and sat back in his chair at the reception.  
  
She smiled. "You were so cute, walking your mom down the aisle."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Her smile widened and she snickered.  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
At that moment, Jamie rushed over and slid to a stop in front of them. "Jess!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come help me spike the punch!"  
  
Jess shrugged. "Okay."  
  
Rory sighed. "Jess..."  
  
He got up. "I'll be back in a few."  
  
Jamie smirked and put an arm around Jess. "So, how cute were you walking mommy down the aisle."  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
*****  
  
"So... this is a great party..."  
  
Luke nodded. "Yeah, it turned out really nice."  
  
"Liz made a beautiful bride," Lorelai went on, fiddling with the full glass of wine in her hand.  
  
"Yup... and TJ made for the dumbest groom in the world," Luke nodded.  
  
"Well today wasn't about TJ. It was about Liz," Lorelai smirked.  
  
They sat in silence, and Lorelai cleared her throat softly after taking a sip of her wine.  
  
Luke stared at her, and then shook his head. "This is ridiculous."  
  
"What's ridiculous?" Lorelai asked, the faint sound of panic in her voice.  
  
"This. Us. We've been tip-toeing around each other for weeks now!"  
  
"We have?"  
  
"We haven't?"  
  
Lorelai sighed. "Okay... so... we have. We should stop."  
  
"Right."  
  
"So... let's... stop."  
  
"Okay."  
  
More silence followed.  
  
"Have we stopped?" Lorelai asked hopefully.  
  
"No."  
  
"Dammit! How do we stop tip-toeing?"  
  
"Dance with me."  
  
Lorelai blinked. "Huh?"  
  
Luke sighed. "Will you dance with me?"  
  
"I don't know if that will help the tip-toeing," Lorelai replied.  
  
"This isn't about-"Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm asking you to dance with me."  
  
"So... this has nothing to do with the tip-toeing?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Will you just dance with me?!" Luke cried, obviously very annoyed.  
  
Lorelai shrugged. "Oh... okay..."  
  
They got up and walked to the dance floor.  
  
******  
  
Jamie glanced around them as he dumped a flask-full of something he most certainly wasn't supposed to have into the green punch bowl. He spotted Lorelai and Luke and smirked. "Hey, Jess... Hot Momma and the Diner Defender at three o'clock."  
  
Jess squinted his eyes at his best friend, and then looked out to the dance floor, watching Luke and Lorelai. "Hot Momma and the Diner-... why are we still friends?"  
  
"Because you can't live without me," Jamie leered. "Admit it. You love me more than you love Rory."  
  
Jess slugged him in the stomach, and he grunted, doubling over.  
  
*****  
  
"So... we're dancing."  
  
Luke nodded as he led Lorelai on the dance floor. "Yeah."  
  
"This is nice."  
  
He nodded again.  
  
They danced in silence, and she hesitantly placed her head on his shoulder.  
  
*****  
  
Jimmy plopped down next to Rory and sighed. "Having fun?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes fixed on Jess and Jamie, who were pushing each other around. "Yup. Lots of fun."  
  
Jimmy smirked. "Al Delano's kid, right?"  
  
Rory finally looked at him. "Huh?"  
  
"Jamie," Jimmy pointed. "I used to know his father... way... way back when."  
  
"Oh," Rory replied. "That's nice... Jamie's..."  
  
"An idiot," Jimmy nodded. "Which is funny, cause from what I hear, his old man's a pretty smart guy... accountant or something."  
  
She nodded again, and looked back at Jess. Liz had forced him to neaten his hair a little, and so it was brushed neatly, some of it falling on his forehead. It had looked neater at the ceremony, but without Liz's scrutiny, it was beginning to go back to its natural, untidy state. Rory liked it that way. He seemed less like himself without his disheveled look.  
  
Jimmy followed her gaze, and smiled.  
  
*****  
  
Taylor spit out his punch upon tasting it. "My word! What is in this?!"  
  
Liz walked over. "Everything alright, Taylor?"  
  
"This punch doesn't taste right at all!" Taylor told her.  
  
"Really? It tasted fine a few minutes ago..." She poured herself a cup and took a sip, thinking for a moment. "That's whiskey." She looked around and spotted Jess and Jamie talking to Gloria in a corner. "Oh... he's gonna pay."  
  
*****  
  
The band leader got the gatherers' attention and cleared his throat. "The bride has asked us to play a special song for her... and her son."  
  
Jess stood, shocked, as Liz pulled him out onto the dance floor to the tune of Wind Beneath My Wings.  
  
He glared at his mother harshly. "You evil, heartless bitch."  
  
She snickered as she started dancing with him. "Let's just consider us even."  
  
He glared and danced.  
  
*****  
  
Rory was making an honest effort not to laugh as she watched Jess and Liz on the dance floor. Truly, she was. But Jamie and Gloria, who were nearly falling out of their seats with laughter, weren't making it easy. Jimmy had his face in hands and was laughing, and Luke was turned around, smirking amusedly at his sister and nephew.  
  
Lorelai snickered and put her arms around Rory and began to sing along.  
  
"So you and Luke danced."  
  
Lorelai stopped singing. "Uhm... yup. We danced. Danced."  
  
Rory nodded. "And?"  
  
"And, what?"  
  
"Jimmy distracted me, did anything happen?"  
  
"Besides the dancing?" Lorelai asked.  
  
Rory nodded. "Besides the dancing."  
  
"Uhm... no."  
  
"No smoochies?"  
  
"Rory!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
Lorelai sighed. "No."  
  
"Do you want there to be?"  
  
Lorelai bit her lip and stared at the back of Luke's head. 


	45. What I Wanted to Say

What I meant to say  
  
"Well, I guess this is gonna be it."  
  
Jess nodded as he waited for the bus out of Stars Hollow to pick up Jimmy that night after the wedding. "Yeah."  
  
They stood in silence, and both said the words "I'll call you" at the same time. Jimmy laughed a little and Jess smirked and rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'll call you when I get home," Jimmy said. "Well... I'll probably have Lily call you, but it'll be the same thing."  
  
"Right," Jess replied. "Did you say goodbye to Grandma Sofia?"  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, I did... did you know that Gloria hates me?"  
  
Jess shrugged. "She hates you just about as much as I hate Uncle Tommy."  
  
"Right... no word from him?" Jimmy asked.  
  
Jess shook his head. "No word in eleven years... not since Aunt Anna died."  
  
Jimmy nodded. "Right..." he sighed. "You gotta wonder how he and I turned out so shitty."  
  
"You're not shitty," Jess replied. "You're just flaky."  
  
"Thanks," Jimmy snapped with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"Tell me I'm wrong."  
  
"You're not."  
  
"Well, there you go."  
  
"I just... wonder," Jimmy went on with his original thought. "Y'know... Frankie and Sofia did right by Tommy and me... and we still turned out to be a couple of schmucks."  
  
"Yeah, well, maybe there was a latent gene in there somewhere for schmuckiness," Jess retorted.  
  
"Makes sense. If I got the dormant gene and it became dominant... that's where you get it from," Jimmy smirked.  
  
"Go to hell, old man."  
  
"Old man..." Jimmy pondered. "It's a step up."  
  
Jess didn't reply.  
  
Jimmy shoved his hands in his coat pockets and sighed. "Your grandfather was a good man."  
  
"I know."  
  
"He was so excited when Liz got pregnant with you," Jimmy went on. "Broke out cigars, wine, the works, cause you were on the way."  
  
Again, Jess stayed silent, preferring to glance at a spot on pavement bellow.  
  
"I came to the funeral, you know."  
  
He looked up at Jimmy, a little startled. "You did?"  
  
Jimmy nodded. "I saw you and Gloria... was gonna talk to you..."  
  
Jess furrowed his brow a little, curious. "Why didn't you?"  
  
"I don't know," Jimmy admitted. "I just... I saw you sitting there, and I just couldn't."  
  
Jess nodded slowly.  
  
The bus pulled up slowly, and Jimmy sighed. "This is me." He turned to Jess, not quite sure what to do. "Work on your left hook a little more, and you could kick my ass the next time."  
  
Jess smirked. "You're going down."  
  
"Sure," Jimmy laughed. He patted Jess on the shoulder. "Take care."  
  
"You, too."  
  
Jimmy pushed him playfully before getting on the bus.  
  
Jess sat on the bus stop bench and sighed in the November sunlight, watching the bus carry Jimmy off to the airport.

* * *

"I'm thinking about something."  
  
They were lying in her bed far too early the next morning. He had another hour before his shift, and she couldn't help the smile that crept up on her as she cuddled into his side, her head resting against his t- shirt clad chest. They were both looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"Animal, vegetable or mineral?" She asked.  
  
"Huh... how do you classify a memory?"  
  
"None of the above?"  
  
"Guess so."  
  
Rory turned her head from the ceiling to look at him. "What memory?"  
  
"Our first kiss," Jess replied, keeping his gaze upwards.  
  
"Oh." She reddened at the memory of the impulsive move she'd mad. She'd kissed him and run. She'd run all the way to Washington without a word to him for weeks and when she'd returned...  
  
A wave of guilt hit her. "What about it?"  
  
He blinked and finally turned to her. "Why did you?" He'd wanted to know for years what had brought on that bout of passionate spontaneity. It had come up briefly at the wedding the day before, mostly as a joke, but the more he thought of it, the more curious he became.  
  
She gave him a thoughtful look and tilted her head. "Just... wanted to." She smiled as his words from those few years ago left her lips.  
  
He smirked wryly and looked back up at the ceiling. "Huh."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Rory asked.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"If I'd let you talk afterwards... after I kissed you... what would you have said?"  
  
She watched him as he stayed silent, his eyes glued to the ceiling.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
He stayed silent for another moment. "It's not important."  
  
Her brow furrowed slightly. "Neither is why I kissed you."  
  
"Well, you kind of gave me a cop-out answer, don't you think?" He bit, obviously annoyed.  
  
"Says the king of cop-outs."  
  
He sat up. "I have to get ready for work."  
  
"And watch as he proves my point entirely."  
  
He rolled his eyes and gathered his pants and jacket.  
  
"Look at him go, ladies and gentlemen. Avoiding conflict at all costs!"  
  
"I'm not fighting with you."  
  
"What would you have said?" she asked again.  
  
He glared. "Why did you kiss me?"  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
"Hello, maturity."  
  
"Look who's talking."  
  
He shook his head. "I'm leaving."  
  
"Well, you've always been good at that," she snapped quickly, but regretted it a little.  
  
He stared at her for a moment, and then walked out of the room, running right into Lorelai.  
  
She blinked drowsily. "Hello, Diner Boy. What're you doing up so early?"  
  
"Leaving," he replied, trying to get around her.  
  
She stopped him from leaving. "Why?"  
  
"Because I have to work."  
  
"Not for another hour," Lorelai pointed out. She gave him a suspicious look. "Did you and Rory get in a fight?"  
  
"No."  
  
Lorelai crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I'm leaving," Jess told her. "If I'm late, Luke is going to kill me."  
  
"What did you fight about?"  
  
"We're not fighting. Whatever's going on, it's none of your business," Jess glared. "So just... let me leave."  
  
"Nope."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"If you have issues, fix them," she told him. "Fight it out! I don't care! Just don't leave her in the lurch."  
  
"Well, apparently, it's what I'm best at."  
  
"I said it's what you're good at!" Rory corrected from her room. "Not best at!"  
  
"Whatever!" Jess yelled back. "You're the one who started with the evasiveness!"  
  
"I was trying to be cute!"  
  
"You're already cute!" Jess yelled. "Look what happens when you try too hard!"  
  
"You're so mean!"  
  
"You've known that for years!"  
  
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Okay. It's really early. I haven't had any coffee yet, and you're standing here in a t-shirt and your boxer shorts arguing with my daughter, who is in a completely different room."  
  
Jess tried to get past her again, but she grabbed him by the shoulders, turned him around and led him to Rory's room. She knocked on the door.  
  
"He can't come in."  
  
Jess tried to turn and leave again but Lorelai stopped him. "He wants to apologize."  
  
"What?!" Jess cried. "No I don't! She's at fault just as much as I am!"  
  
"So you admit you're at fault, too!"  
  
"You started this!"  
  
"No! You started this! You wanted to know why I kissed you!"  
  
"And you evaded the question completely!"  
  
"I didn't evade the question!" Rory yelled. "I did want to kiss you! That's why I kissed you!"  
  
Lorelai was completely baffled. "Which kiss?"  
  
Jess turned back and glared at the older Gilmore before turning back to the door. "Can I come in?"  
  
"No!" she cried. "You can stay out there and let my mother harass you!"  
  
He groaned. "Rory!"  
  
Lorelai smacked him upside the head. "What did you do to her?!"  
  
He flinched and glared. "I didn't do anything!"  
  
"Why won't you just tell me what you were going to say?" Rory cried, her voice shaking.  
  
Jess knew that tone all too well. Tears. "Oh shi-... Rory... come on, open the door."  
  
Lorelai sighed when Rory didn't answer. "I'm making coffee." She walked off, glancing back at Jess before going into the kitchen.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
She sniffed a little. "What?"  
  
He sighed and paused for a moment. "It doesn't have to mean anything," he told her quietly. "We can just... forget about it if you want. No one saw. No one has to know. But... just so you know... I'm not sorry."  
  
She opened the door slowly, and stood before him, wiping her eyes. "That was it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She sighed. "I don't know what I would have said."  
  
"That's okay."  
  
"I kissed you because I wanted to... I saw you, and I didn't think, I just... did."  
  
He nodded, and stepped forward and kissed her softly. "Like that?"  
  
She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "Kinda. Yeah."  
  
"Are we okay?" he asked.  
  
She held him tighter. "Yeah. I'm sorry for the things I said... I was just kind of angry."  
  
He nodded again, and put his arms around her. "I'm hungry."  
  
She snickered at his change of subject and kissed him. "That's my line."

* * *

"Hey, Rory," Luke said from behind the counter. "Where's Jess?"  
  
"He told me to tell you he's calling in dead," she replied, sitting at the counter. "And therefore, this order is to go."  
  
"Ugh... I told him I needed him here this morning," Luke complained.  
  
"I'll drag him in later, I promise."  
  
"Where's your mom?"  
  
Rory sighed. "She went back to sleep. I think she had too much wine at the wedding."  
  
Luke merely nodded. "So, what're you having?"  
  
"One order of pancakes, two orders of eggs, one cheeseburger, and four Danishes."  
  
"Cheeseburger?"  
  
"He wants a cheeseburger."  
  
"He's spending too much time around you," Luke shook his head. "Anything else?"  
  
"Yup. I'd like an order of when are you going to ask my mother out on a date."  
  
"Got it-... what?"  
  
Rory smiled. "I saw you guys dancing..."  
  
"I'm putting in your order now."  
  
"You were so cute together."  
  
Luke shook his head and walked into the kitchen, and Rory snickered.  
  
"Hey, Rory."  
  
She turned and smiled. "Hey, Dean. What's up?"  
  
"Not a lot... just getting breakfast," he replied, taking a seat next to her at the counter. "You?"  
  
"Picking up breakfast for myself and the lazy bum lying in my bed, reading my books."  
  
"Ah."  
  
Rory frowned. "Hey... is everything okay? You look kinda bummed."  
  
"It's nothing, really," Dean replied. "Lindsay and I had a fight this morning, is all."  
  
"Wow, seems to be going around," she nodded.  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Dean asked, interestedly. "You guys, too?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "For a little while, but I think it was just both of us being really stubborn... we're good at that... anyways, it was fine once we got everything out into the open... unless he decides to write in the margins of my books again... then he will pay."  
  
Dean smirked. "Do you guys fight a lot?"  
  
"No more than any other normal couple," she replied.  
  
"Lindsay and I fight a lot," Dean informed her. "I think we're getting really sick of each other..."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I think maybe I want to take a break," he said. "I mean... that's normal, right? To want to take a break...Do you ever feel like that with Jess?"  
  
"Not...really," Rory said, shifting in her seat. "I mean... he's only been back from California for a little less than two months...and even before he left, I wasn't ready for the five months I spent without him...and it's a little different, seeing as you and Lindsay are married."  
  
"Oh," Dean nodded, looking a little disappointed. "Because...well, it's kind of stupid, but...I was thinking if you wanted to take a break together..."  
  
"No, thanks," Rory responded quickly. "I...Jess and I are very happy with the way things are right now."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Luke walked out with a bag of food and handed it to Rory. "Here you go."  
  
Rory pulled out the money she owed and paid. "See you, Dean," she said as she walked out.  
  
"Bye," he muttered.

* * *

"Which kiss?"  
  
"For the millionth time, Lorelai, it's none of your business," Jess snapped.  
  
"Oh, yes it is," Lorelai replied. "This kiss involved my daughter. Therefore, it is my business."  
  
"It was nothing."  
  
"Obviously. Because you guys fight about absolutely nothing all the time."  
  
Jess shook his head and got off the couch. "Will you just drop it?"  
  
"Nope. Which kiss?"  
  
Jess groaned.  
  
"Food!" Rory called from the front hall.  
  
"Food!" Lorelai repeated, forgetting about Jess. She rushed out to greet her daughter and grab the bag of food. Well... try.  
  
Rory held on tight. "Mom!"  
  
"Food!"  
  
"Oh, my god! Jess how much coffee did she have?!"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Mom, let me put the food in the kitchen."  
  
Lorelai pouted and let go. "Fine."  
  
Rory led her mother into the kitchen, and Jess slowly followed, taking a seat at the table.  
  
"Luke mad?"  
  
"Just slightly annoyed," Rory replied. "I told him I'd drag you in later."  
  
Jess nodded and unwrapped the cheeseburger Rory had handed him.  
  
"He's angrier at you for eating a burger for breakfast," Rory smirked, watching him, as she unloaded more food.  
  
Jess shrugged and took a bite.  
  
Lorelai grabbed her food and started digging in.  
  
Jess watched, crinkling his brow. "Horrible... terrible... yet... so... so fascinating..."  
  
Rory sat down in between them and started eating quietly.  
  
Lorelai gave her daughter an interested look.  
  
"What?" Rory asked.  
  
"You seem kind of off."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Jess reached out and put a gentle hand under her chin, turning her face toward him. He studied her carefully. "She's not wrong," he concluded. "What is it?"  
  
Rory shrugged. "Nothing... it's just..."  
  
Jess kept his eyes on her.  
  
"I ran into Dean."  
  
He rolled his eyes and sat back.  
  
"He... he asked me... something weird."  
  
"How weird?" Lorelai asked. "Threesome weird? Because I don't think Jess goes for that."  
  
"Sitting right here, thanks," Jess cut in.  
  
Both Gilmores ignored him, and Rory turned to face her mother.  
  
"He asked if I ever felt like taking a break," Rory explained.  
  
"A break from what?"  
  
Rory bit her lip and turned to Jess. "Girl talk time?"  
  
He nodded, and walked out of the room with his burger.  
  
Rory waited until she heard her bedroom door close to continue, and then turned to Lorelai again.  
  
"He wanted to know if I wanted to take a break from Jess."  
  
Lorelai gave her a confused look. "Why does he care?"  
  
"Because he wants a break from Lindsay."  
  
"So... in other words, he wants you to help him cheat on his wife, and he wants you to let him help you cheat on Jess."  
  
Rory nodded.  
  
She shook her head. "That's... really convoluted... what did you say?"  
  
"I said no!" Rory cried. "What else could I say?"  
  
Lorelai sighed. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Rory replied. "I just... it was such a weird question... I mean... he wants... he wants me to be... his mistress... I mean... poor Lindsay! And... And he wants to be my man on the side... I don't want a man on the side! I don't have room for a man on the side! All sides are taken up!"  
  
"So, just let it go," Lorelai shrugged. "He asked... you said no...it's over, right?"  
  
Rory nodded. "Yeah... I hope so."  
  
Inside Rory's room, Jess leaned against the door and listened intently. 


	46. No Means No

A/N: In regards to the season finale. Remember kiddies, what I'm writing now takes place in Rory's Sophomore year of college... and I disregarded everything after Nag Hammadi anyways. I'm pretty disheartened by what happened, and it's hard to write Rory the way I want her to be, but I am trying.  
  
A/N 2: I hate Dean right now. I don't think I've ever hated him so much before, but I do. Therefore, he's taking a beating. Sorry.  
  
And of course, by the time the next weekend rolled around, rumors had spread like wildfire.  
  
Someone had heard Dean speaking to Rory in the diner, and someone had told someone else, and somehow it had most likely gotten back to Miss Patty.  
  
And so Jess was stared at and whispered about as he made his way from his car into the diner that Saturday morning.  
  
Inside, Rory looked miserable.  
  
"So..." Jess said, walking to stand in front of her behind the counter. "You're Dean's mistress."  
  
Rory groaned and slammed her head down on the table.  
  
Jess tried his best to keep a straight face, but failed.  
  
Rory pouted as she watched her boyfriend. "It's not funny!"  
  
He looked at her with a smirk plastered on his face. "Rory... Rory, I love you so much... but... but..." he couldn't finish his sentence.  
  
"Jess!"  
  
Luke came in from the kitchen, and stared oddly at the smirk on his nephew's face. "What's his problem?"  
  
Rory sighed. "There are these awful rumors going around about me..."  
  
"That you're Dean's other woman!" Kirk cut in from his table. "For shame, Rory Gilmore!"  
  
"It's not true!" Rory cried. "I have an alibi for every night they pinned me as being with Dean!"  
  
Luke squinted. "Dean's what?!"  
  
"Mistress," Kirk repeated. "Other woman."  
  
Jess's smirk widened.  
  
"Stop it!" Rory cried.  
  
Lorelai rushed in. "It's not true, is it?"  
  
Jess squeezed his eyes shut and turned around as he snorted out a quiet laugh.  
  
Lorelai breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh... thank god... not true... nervous breakdown averted..."  
  
Rory sighed. "What do I do?! The entire town is calling me names, and Lindsay looked about ready to kill me and Jess is dying from laughter!"  
  
"He's not laughing," Lorelai pointed out.  
  
"He is on the inside!" Rory cried. "Can't you tell?!"  
  
Lorelai blinked at her daughter and took a step back. "Oh-kay. She's lost it."  
  
Jess walked out from behind the counter and took Rory's hand. "Come on."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Out."  
  
"Out where?"  
  
"Away."  
  
"Away where?"  
  
Jess shook his head. "You ask too many questions."  
  
"Is that a bad thing?"  
  
Luke shook his head. "You gonna be back soon?"  
  
"Nope," Jess replied as he led Rory out the door. "Bye."  
  
Rory followed him out of the diner and to his car. He unlocked it and got into the driver's seat. She just stared.  
  
He rolled down the window. "Getting in?"  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked.  
  
He shrugged. "I figured we'd get out of here for a while... y'know... until this crap dies down... maybe go into the city and visit Sofia and Jamie."  
  
She smiled. "Yeah?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
Rory smiled wider and hopped into the car.

* * *

Luke watched Jess's car drive off and sighed. "That kid..."  
  
Lorelai smirked. "You love him."  
  
"Ugh..."  
  
Lorelai shook her head, changing the subject. "God... I can't believe people would spread something like this about Rory... it just doesn't make any sense! They know her. They know she's not like that... it's like... spreading the rumor that Jenna Jameson is becoming a nun..."  
  
Luke shook his head. "Well, if someone claims they heard it from the source..."  
  
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Rory told me that Dean asked her to..." she made a few hand gestures as she tried to think up the words. "She said he asked her to 'take a break' with him."  
  
Luke blinked and refilled her coffee. "'Take a break'?"  
  
"Yeah," Lorelai replied, taking a sip of coffee. "And she told him no. That she and Jess are very happy and that she wouldn't do it."  
  
"Did you just see that?" Lorelai heard Babette say. "They got into his car and just drove off! How can he even stand to look at her after this?"  
  
Patty shook her head. "That poor boy... maybe he doesn't know."  
  
Lorelai fumed, and was about to get up, when Luke grabbed her arm.  
  
"They're not worth it," he hissed. "They have no idea what they're talking about."  
  
Lorelai pouted.

* * *

"Okay, so Monday..."  
  
"I was in classes, and then I was studying with Paris," Rory replied. "I was nowhere near Dean... Stars Hollow, even!"  
  
Jess nodded as he drove. "Okay. Tuesday?"  
  
"Class, and then I went to this play that Janet was in."  
  
"Wednesday?"  
  
"Class and then..." She smiled and turned red.  
  
He nodded with a smirk. "I remember."  
  
"Wednesday was a good night," She said softly.  
  
"Stop it, I'm driving."  
  
She snickered. "Sorry."  
  
"Thursday?"  
  
"My first class was canceled, so I slept in, and then I went to class, and then Lane came up and we had dinner, and then you and I..." She smiled again reddening even more.  
  
"If you keep bringing that up, I may have to stop the car."  
  
Rory took his hand. "And then Friday was class, and then studying, and then Friday dinner, and then Mom and I had a movie-fest."  
  
Jess nodded.  
  
Rory sighed and sat back. "I can't believe everyone thinks Dean and I are..."  
  
Jess sighed and pulled the car over to the side of the road.  
  
She blinked. "What..."  
  
He unbuckled his seatbelt and slid across the bench seat to her. "Rory."  
  
She sighed again and rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"It doesn't matter what they think," Jess told her. "Let them think you and Dean are having an affair. You and I both know it's not true. Your mother knows. Luke knows. No one else really matters."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Okay?"  
  
She smiled a little and kissed him. "Okay."  
  
He nodded to her and slid back to the driver's seat. When he started driving again, Rory's cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello... No, Lane! I am not sleeping with Dean! God!... No. No smoochies. No... Ew! Jess is sitting right here!"  
  
Jess smirked as he drove. "She's being gross again, isn't she?"  
  
Rory nodded. "You have no idea..."

* * *

"You're kicking me out?"  
  
Lindsay nodded as she shoved Dean's clothing into a bag. "I am kicking you out."  
  
"Lindsay, this is ridiculous! Nothing happened with Rory and I! We talked!"  
  
"About what?" Lindsay snapped. "About when would be a good time to get together and have sex?!"  
  
"What?! You have lost it!"  
  
"Have I, Dean?!" Lindsay cried. "You know, things were really going well over the summer! And ever since... after Halloween, you've been so distant! Was it me?"  
  
"No!" Dean cried. "No! I don't even...! You know what? We both need time to cool off. I'm... I'm going for a walk. I'll come back a little later, and we'll talk like rational human beings."  
  
She kept stuffing clothes into the bag, tears welling up in her eyes. He really didn't love her.

* * *

Sofia smiled upon seeing who was knocking at her door. "Jess! Rory! Come in."  
  
"Hi, Sofia," Rory smiled, and let the older woman pull her into a hug.  
  
"Hey, Grandma," Jess said.  
  
Sofia turned to him and looked him up and down. "You're skinny. Sit and eat."  
  
He sighed. "Grandma-"  
  
"Sit. You both must be hungry from the drive," Sofia cut him off. "What are you doing here anyways?"  
  
"Just needed to get away for the day," Jess replied, taking a seat.  
  
Rory sat next to him and looked around a little. "So, what's for lunch?"

* * *

Luke cleared his throat as he watched Lorelai drink her coffee with a troubled expression on her face.  
  
"Uhm..." he stammered out. "Is there anything I can do? I mean..."  
  
"You can go and break Dean's neck," Lorelai snapped, taking a large gulp.  
  
"This really isn't his fault..."  
  
"If he hadn't come to Rory with that crazy idea of 'taking a break' together, this wouldn't have happened," Lorelai said. She sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking this out on you."  
  
"No," Luke said, sitting across from her. "It's okay. This is pretty upsetting... kind of funny, though... I mean, this is Rory we're talking about...her as...anyone's mistress is kind of funny."  
  
Lorelai smiled a little. "Yeah. It is, isn't it? I mean... I couldn't see her going all dominatrix on anyone... not even Jess..."  
  
"Okay," Luke replied quickly. "That's a little over-board with the imagery."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
They sat in comfortable silence.  
  
"Hey... Lorelai..."  
  
She looked up. "Yeah?"  
  
"Would you like to-"  
  
"It's not true, I swear!"  
  
Lorelai looked up. "Dean."  
  
Dean sighed. "I need to talk to you."  
  
She rolled her eyes, and Luke sighed.

* * *

"Thanksgiving is one week away," Sofia said matter-of-factly. "What are your plans?"  
  
"Eat," Rory said firmly. "Eat a lot. Eat until I explode."  
  
"Please don't explode," Jess said. "I really don't want to have to clean that up."  
  
Rory snickered and Sofia shook her head.  
  
"You two should come here."  
  
Jess nodded. "I might."  
  
"I may stop by," Rory added.  
  
"You two aren't spending it together?" Sofia asked, looking a little shocked.  
  
"Well... I have about four places to stop off at," Rory said. "And Jess has... two?"  
  
Jess nodded. "Two. Luke's and here."  
  
"You two should host Thanksgiving," Sofia suggested. "That way you could be together, and have all of your family there."  
  
Rory smiled. "That's not a bad idea."  
  
Jess shifted in his seat a little.

* * *

"I can't believe you're kicking me out."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Look at the situation, Dean. You asked my nephew's girlfriend to cheat on him with you."  
  
Dean sighed. "I-"  
  
"Out."  
  
"Luke!"  
  
"Out!"  
  
Dean shook his head and left.  
  
Lorelai smiled and hooked an arm through Luke's. "My hero."  
  
Luke smirked, and then became uncomfortable. "Hey... Lorelai?"

* * *

They stopped off at her dorm on the way back to Stars Hollow so she could pick up a sweater she wanted. He stood in the doorway and watched her zoom around the small space.  
  
"Where could I have put it?" she asked herself.  
  
"Maybe you left it at my place," he offered. "We could go there and check."  
  
"If we go there, we won't make it back to Stars Hollow," Rory smirked.  
  
"This is a problem?"  
  
She turned to him with a smile on her face, and was about to reply, but stopped.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
Jess turned around and found Dean standing in the open doorway to the suite. "What the hell?"  
  
Rory blinked and looked past Jess. This was no good. "Dean?"  
  
Dean stormed in, brushing past Jess, who glared. "Rory, we need to talk."  
  
"Wh... why?"  
  
"Please, I just need to talk to you," Dean pleaded. He glanced back at Jess. "Alone."  
  
Jess folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow.  
  
Rory took a deep breath and tried to gain some composure. "Jess? Could you give us a minute?"  
  
He gave her a harsh look in response.  
  
She frowned and walked over to him, placing her hands gently on the sides of his face. "Jess."  
  
He didn't reply, still.  
  
Rory rested her forehead against his. "Please let me handle this. I can take care of this."  
  
His harsh look softened a little. "Rory..."  
  
"I won't be long," she promised.  
  
"I don't trust him."  
  
"But you trust me."  
  
Jess sighed. "Yeah." He placed an arm around her waist and pulled her into a kiss.  
  
Dean shook his head and turned away, really not wanting to see their embrace.  
  
Rory watched him walk out, pulling a pack of cigarettes out on the way. She turned back to her dorm and started looking for her sweater again. "You wanted to talk?"  
  
"Come away with me."  
  
She stopped her movements dead and turned to him. "What?"  
  
"Come away with me!" Dean cried.  
  
"No."  
  
"Rory-"  
  
"No."  
  
"We can escape all this craziness, all these people, talking behind our backs! We can finally... admit how we feel about each other."  
  
"How we... feel?" Rory asked, confused. "You've lost me... how do we feel?"  
  
"We love each other."  
  
"We do?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No we don't, Dean," Rory said gently. "You're my friend... I care about you, but... I don't love you anymore. I haven't loved you for a long time."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"Dean, that guy I just told to leave the room? The one who has probably smoked six cigarettes by now? I love him," she told him. "I love Jess. I have loved Jess for a long time now. And you! You have Lindsay!"  
  
"Lindsay threw me out."  
  
"You can work things out with Lindsay!" Rory cried. "You just have to try."  
  
"I don't want to work things out with Lindsay, I want to be with you," Dean told her. "I know you don't love Jess."  
  
"You don't know me at all, Dean," Rory replied. "I love Jess. I love Jess. I love Jess. How many times do I have to tell you that before you understand?"  
  
"Please, Rory."  
  
"No, Dean."  
  
He took a step forward and she took a step back.  
  
"No, Dean."  
  
He nodded slowly, and then left the room.  
  
When she was sure he'd gone, she went back to finding her sweater, and then left with it in hand. 


	47. Gobble Gobble

Someone5 and others!: Thank you for your feedback. I'm not offended. Quite the opposite. I really appreciate the criticism. It was not my intention to use the show's plot as a crutch. Pt. 46 was mostly written out of anger, and my need to "fix" things. Compulsive? Me? Nah. Haha. It was just something I really did want to do. Thank you again!  
  
Thanks for all the great feedback! Sorry this took so long...  
  
Jess swung a punch at Jamie and missed. "So then... we go to her dorm," he swung again, and clipped his shoulder. He shook out his hand. "And Dean shows up."  
  
"The ex?" Jamie nodded, ducking a punch.  
  
"The ex."  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
Jess shrugged. "Didn't ask."  
  
Jamie stopped moving, looking at Jess with squinted eyes. "Didn't ask?"  
  
Jess shook his head. "Didn't ask."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Jess took the opportunity to slug Jamie in the stomach. "Don't wanna know. All that matters is that she came out ten minutes later and left with me."  
  
Jamie heaved and stumbled back a little. "Fair enough."  
  
The door to the gym opened and Gloria walked in, trailed by Paris and Rory.  
  
"I am not fighting," Paris argued.  
  
"You'll be great at it!" Gloria giggled. "Come on!"  
  
"It's primitive and immature, and I refuse to participate!" Paris cried. She turned to Rory. "Do you take part in this ridiculousness?"  
  
Rory shook her head. "Nope. But it's only because I can't fight."  
  
"I can fix that," Jess called from the ring.  
  
Rory shook her head. "No way."  
  
He wiggled a "come hither" finger at her, and she smiled and shook her head again. Jess climbed out of the ring, and stalked toward her, and Rory laughed and started running, dropping her school bag on the way.  
  
Paris shook her head. "They are so strange."  
  
Gloria smiled and climbed into the ring, wrapping her knuckles along the way.  
  
Jamie backed against the ropes on the side of the ring. "Aw, god, not again."  
  
"Move over you two," Jess barked as he carried Rory over his shoulder into the ring.  
  
"PUT ME DOWN!"  
  
Jess put her down in the ring and smirked.  
  
She pushed him, and he stumbled back slightly.  
  
"I knew if I got you mad enough you'd fight me," he said as his smirk widened.  
  
She crossed her arms. "I'm not fighting you."  
  
He gave her a playful push and she pushed back, shoving him into the ropes. He catapulted himself off of them, right into Rory, knocking her off her feet. She cried out as she hit the mat with Jess on top of her.  
  
"Ew!" Rory yelled. "You're all sweaty and gross!"  
  
"Gee, you didn't mind that last night," Jess muttered quietly.  
  
She turned red and shoved him off of her with a slight laugh. "I'm not fighting you."  
  
Gloria helped Jess to his feet with a smile. "I'll fight you."  
  
"Aw, god," Jess groaned.  
  
"You're all heathens!" Paris called from outside the ring.  
  
"Come join us!" Jamie called. "You can be a heathen, too!"  
  
Paris rolled her eyes.

* * *

"I can't believe Jamie got Paris to fight," Rory laughed as she and Jess walked out of the gym.  
  
"He does have a way with women," Jess smirked, running a hand through his damp hair and hefting her backpack on his shoulder.  
  
She turned around, walking backwards as they headed down to the parking lot that held both their cars. "Hey... can we talk about last night?"  
  
"You mean that crap Limp Bizkit song on the radio? How dare they cover Behind Blue Eyes. They destroyed that song."  
  
Rory sighed. "True, but-"  
  
"No wonder Dave said he cried the first time he heard it... it's horrible. Keith Moon probably rolls over in his grave every time someone plays it."  
  
"I meant about Dean," Rory said.  
  
Jess didn't reply, only nodded.  
  
Rory stopped walking, and stopped Jess as well. She sighed. "He asked me to-"  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
She blinked up at him. "What?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't care."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"You're here now," he said. "I care about that."  
  
She stared for a moment before giving him a wide smile, and throwing her arms around him. Her pack slipped from his shoulder to the ground as he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
She pulled back a little to look at him. "Nothing happened."  
  
"You'd be awful at hiding it if something had," Jess smirked.  
  
"Mean."  
  
He shrugged and let go of her to lift her bag again. "Come on. I need a shower."

* * *

"I can't believe you're hosting Thanksgiving," Lorelai snickered at her daughter over the phone. "You've never hosted Thanksgiving a day in your life."  
  
"Well... it's Jess's apartment," Rory pointed out as she walked into her dorm room the next afternoon. "So technically he is hosting Thanksgiving. I am merely a co-host."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"And you're coming."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
Rory nodded with a smile. "Of course! You wouldn't miss my first co- host, would you?"  
  
Lorelai sighed. "I suppose not... will Luke be there?"  
  
"Probably," Rory shrugged. "Jess is inviting him."  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Uh... no reason."  
  
Rory raised an eyebrow and kept silent.  
  
"Well... he..."  
  
"He what? He withheld coffee?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Gave you salad?"  
  
Lorelai shook her head. "No."  
  
"Made you do a little dance for your food?" Rory asked.  
  
"He asked me out on a date."  
  
Rory sat speechless.  
  
"Rory?" Lorelai asked. "Are you still there?"  
  
"Uhm... yeah! Yeah, I'm here," Rory replied. "Luke asked you out? Luke- Luke?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I... I said yes."  
  
"You did?!"  
  
"Yes!" Lorelai cried back. "I said yes! I just... I want to date Luke!"  
  
"Finally!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"The whole town has been waiting for this for years!"  
  
Lorelai sputtered.

* * *

Jess swung open the door and Rory had to laugh a little. He was wearing nice slacks and a button-down gray shirt and a plain, black apron. In one hand he was holding a turkey baster and in the other a rubber spatula.  
  
He glared. "Don't laugh."  
  
She put a hand to her mouth to try and cover her smile.  
  
His glare became deeper and he turned and stocked back into the apartment and into the kitchen. She followed and looked in to see Jess and Luke (sans his baseball cap and flannel) bustling around the kitchen.  
  
Rory laughed loudly.  
  
Luke looked up and rolled her eyes. "Look, do you wanna eat Thanksgiving dinner or not?"  
  
Rory kept laughing. "Where's Mom?"  
  
She had to stay at the Inn late," Luke replied. "She said she'd be here, though."  
  
Rory nodded, still snickering. "Good."  
  
"If you don't stop laughing, I'm gonna throw a dinner roll at you," Jess threatened.  
  
"Jess, hand me the baster," Luke ordered.  
  
"I wanted to baste," Jess replied calmly.  
  
Luke rolled his eyes. "Fine. Baste away. Whatever." He glanced at Rory, who was still laughing. "Stop."  
  
"I'm sorry," Rory replied. "It's just... you guys are so cute!"  
  
"We are not," they both said at the same time.  
  
Rory laughed harder and went to answer the door when there was a loud knock on it. She opened it to reveal Lorelai, Sookie, and Jackson who was holding Davie.  
  
"You have got to see this."  
  
She led them to the kitchen, where Luke was nitpicking on Jess's basting job.  
  
"You missed a spot."  
  
"I did not."  
  
"You did. Right there."  
  
"Jeez, Martha Stewart, will you cut it out?!"  
  
Sookie rolled her eyes and zoomed into the kitchen, snatching the baster from Jess. "I will handle this."  
  
Both men grumbled.  
  
"I'm carving the turkey."  
  
"No way," Jess snapped at his best friend. "This is my house, and I don't trust you with a knife."  
  
Jamie didn't look as if he was going to give up the carving knife any time soon.  
  
Jess glared and readied a fist, but Sofia snatched the knife from Jamie before any harm could be done to either boy.

* * *

"I'm carving," she told them. "Sit."  
  
Both of them sat, glaring at each other the entire time.  
  
"Well," Emily said, trying her best to be pleasant around the cramped table. "Isn't this nice?"  
  
Richard nodded, not hearing the slight strain in Emily's voice. "You've got a very nice apartment, Jess."  
  
He nodded. "Thank you." He watched his grandmother cut up the turkey with a bitter expression.  
  
Liz smiled at Jess. "You really did wonders with this place."  
  
Jess shrugged and held his glare at his grandmother.  
  
"Don't give me that look," Sofia snapped playfully as she served everyone. "You couldn't cut this to save your life."  
  
"She's not wrong," Liz snickered. "You remember that one time you tried to cut our turkey and it wound up butchered?"  
  
"I didn't do that," Jess said in a low voice. "You're husband-of-the- week did... you were passed out on the couch."  
  
The room sat in uncomfortable silence after that. Emily and Richard both looking slightly shocked. Luke was rolling his eyes at his nephew, and Lorelai and Rory both sighed a little.  
  
Once the food was served, most of the table began to eat, but Sofia cleared her throat.  
  
Jess sighed. "Oh, god."  
  
"We have to give thanks before we eat," Sofia said, her voice calm. She turned to Jess.  
  
"Oh, you won't let me cut the turkey in my own house, but you want me to do this?"  
  
TJ smiled. "Come on, Read."  
  
Dave, Brian, Zach and Lane all snickered.  
  
"Read?" Dave asked.  
  
"Shove it, Rygalski," Jess glared.  
  
Paris also saw this as an open shot. "Read?"  
  
"Jeez!" Jess cried.  
  
Gloria snickered as well. "Come on, Read. Get it over with."  
  
"Don't call me that," Jess snapped.  
  
Luke groaned. "Just give thanks so we can eat."  
  
"Why don't we just go around the table?" Rory offered, smirking at Jess.  
  
"That isn't a bad idea," Richard smiled. "Jess, why don't you start?"  
  
Jess sighed, trying to be serious. "I'm thankful that... in a few hours... you'll all be leaving."  
  
The group gave off mostly amused protests, but Jess held his ground.  
  
Rory smiled. "I am thankful for..." she sighed. "Family and friends."  
  
"Hey!" Lorelai cried. "You took mine! You've been reading my mind again!"  
  
"I have not!"

* * *

"Wow. I never thought that tonight would be that pleasant," Lorelai smiled as she and Rory walked to the jeep.  
  
Rory smiled back and pulled her coat tighter around herself.  
  
"How come you're not staying?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Jess looked tired," Rory replied. "And... we have a giant stack of movies to get through this weekend, don't we?"  
  
Lorelai smiled. "Ah, yes. The pile... I'm going to have to take a break to go on my date, you know."  
  
Rory smiled. "And I can use that time to study."  
  
"And by study, you mean drive back here and spend time with Jess," Lorelai corrected.  
  
"No, I mean study."  
  
Lorelai snorted. "Study anatomy."  
  
"Dirty!" Rory cried.  
  
Lorelai wrapped an arm around her daughter. "Come on. Let's get home and start on those movies."  
  
"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

Jess felt strangely serene as he washed the dishes in his quiet house. He had a lot of cleaning up to do before he headed to bed, and then went to work in the morning. Who would stop into the bookstore the Friday after Thanksgiving, Jess had no idea, but he was thankful for something to do.  
  
He sighed when the phone rang and broke his tranquil thoughts. He walked into the small living room and picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Happy Thanksgiving!"  
  
He smirked. "Hey, Lily."  
  
"Hey! Did you guys have dinner?"  
  
He nodded. "And dessert."  
  
"Mom's still cooking."  
  
Jess smirked. "Yeah? She going with Turkey?"  
  
"Yup, but she bought low-fat and low-cholesterol everything else for Jimmy."  
  
"He mad?"  
  
"Duh. How was your dinner?"  
  
"Good," Jess replied, plopping down on the couch. "Nobody tried to kill anyone else... well... there were murderous thoughts but things stayed calm for the most part."  
  
Lily giggled. "Good! How's Rory?"  
  
"Rory's good," Jess smirked. "Real good." 


	48. Who'll Stop the Rain

Friday went by in a rush for Jess. He woke up, showered, dressed, worked, came home, ate dinner, read and slept, with a brief phone call from Rory in-between the last two.  
  
When he arrived at thee diner Saturday morning, he was surprised by the lack of Gilmore Presence. Luke was ringing up Gypsy's order with a troubled expression.  
  
Jess walked behind the counter and picked up his order pad and pencil. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
"What?" Luke asked, looking up from the register briefly. "Nothing."  
  
"Sure," Jess nodded, leaning against the counter.  
  
Luke sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He has a date tonight," Gypsy snickered.  
  
"Ah," Jess nodded with a smirk. "And who is the luck victim?"  
  
"Lorelai," Luke muttered.  
  
Jess blinked in surprise. "What?"  
  
"Lorelai."  
  
Jess smirked. "Huh."  
  
Luke glared. "What?"  
  
Jess shook his head, his smirk widening.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I have nothing to say," Jess replied.  
  
"You're annoying," Luke groaned, walking back to the storeroom.  
  
Jess smirked. "Yeah." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a book, which he opened and began to read.  
  
A soft voice cleared itself from the other side of the counter. "Excuse me. Shouldn't you be working?"  
  
He didn't really hear her as he was engrossed with the pages of his book.  
  
A moment later, it was snapped from his grasp, and he looked up, annoyed, until he saw who it was. "Hey."  
  
Rory smiled and sat across from him. She marked his page, and then started from the beginning of the book.  
  
"Hey!" he cried, grabbing the book back.  
  
"Hey!" she cried back with a laugh. She grabbed for the book again, but he kept it from her grasp. "I wanna read!"  
  
"Don't you have your own?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, but I've read mine before," Rory pouted. "I haven't read yours. I wanna."  
  
"You can wait until I finish," he replied.  
  
She grabbed for the book again, but he held it above his head and then pointed a finger at her in warning.  
  
"Stop it."  
  
She smiled and got off of her seat; slowly walking behind the counter. He backed away from her.  
  
"I mean it, Rory. You can wait until I finish."  
  
Her smile widened and she began to chase him just as Luke walked out from the storeroom.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Luke cried. "No running in my diner!"  
  
Jess bolted up the stairs with Rory following closely behind. "You can't have it!"  
  
Luke heard Rory laugh all the way up to the apartment. He shook his head and looked out at the diner. He spotted Lindsay staring sadly at the curtain-covered stairway and frowned. She looked a little sick. He walked over to her with his order pad.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hey, Luke," she replied. "Uhm... can I have some waffles, please?"  
  
He nodded. "Sure... you okay?"  
  
She sighed and didn't meet his eyes. "Yeah."

* * *

"I'M GOING THROUGH YOUR CLOSET!!"  
  
Rory sighed and closed her book from the couch. "You went through my closet already!"  
  
"I'M GOING THROUGH IT AGAIN!" Lorelai called as she ran down the stairs to her daughter's room.  
  
Rory got up and followed her in. "Why are you freaking out about this?"  
  
"I wanna look good."  
  
"It's Luke."  
  
"I wanna look good!"  
  
"Okay," Rory replied, putting her hands up. She dove into her closet and pulled out a blue dress.  
  
Lorelai gasped. "How did I miss that?!"  
  
"I hide it," Rory smiled. "It's the dress I got in New York when we went to bust Jamie out of jail."  
  
"Ah," Lorelai nodded. "It's perfect. Can I?"  
  
Rory bit her lip. "Don't spill on it."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"And don't get it sweaty."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"And don't-"  
  
"I won't!" Lorelai grabbed the dress and ran back up to her room.

* * *

"You look fine."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You lying?"  
  
Jess smirked as he wiped off the diner counter. "Would I lie to you?"  
  
Luke rolled his eyes and grabbed his coat from one of the stools. "Alright. I'm leaving. Be good."  
  
With a straight face, Jess placed his hands over his head in the shape of a halo.  
  
Luke blinked and shook his head. "Bye, Jess."  
  
"Be home by midnight."  
  
Luke groaned.  
  
"And don't do anything I would."  
  
"No buildings will be defaced, I promise," Luke replied, heading for the door.  
  
"And look both ways before crossing the street."  
  
"Shut up."

* * *

Rory opened the front door and smiled. "Hey. Come on in, she's almost ready."  
  
Luke nodded and followed her into the house. "Thanks."  
  
"Mom!" Rory called. "Luke's here!"  
  
"Coming!" Lorelai yelled back. She rushed down the stairs and tripped, landing on her butt on the bottom step. "Ow!"  
  
Luke stared. She looked beautiful, in the mesh-y, blue dress and high heels. He looked down at his slacks and nice shirt. He hoped to god Jess wasn't lying about him looking fine.  
  
Rory had rushed over and was helping Lorelai to her feet. The older woman blushed ever-so-slightly.  
  
"Hey, Luke."  
  
He smiled weakly. "Hey, Lorelai... you look great."  
  
"Thanks... you don't look too shabby yourself." She blinked. 'Shabby?' she thought. 'Who am I, tonight?!'  
  
"You kids have fun tonight," Rory smirked.  
  
Lorelai gave her daughter a thin smile. "You have fun with Jess."  
  
"There will be no Jess tonight," Rory assured them. "I will be studying."  
  
"Yeah, studying Jess's-"  
  
"Have a nice time," Rory interrupted her, pushing both adults gently out the door and slamming it shut.  
  
Lorelai snickered as they walked out to the truck. "Jess will be over here within a half hour."  
  
"Can we not think about that?" Luke asked. "I like to keep my mind off of my nephew's love life. I have the feeling that the less I think about it, the longer I'll live."  
  
Lorelai stopped as they reached the truck. "I think I felt rain."  
  
Luke looked up and shook his head. "Nah." He opened the passenger's side door for Lorelai, and it began to rain heavily.  
  
Lorelai nearly dove into the truck and Luke slammed the door behind her and ran to the driver's side, getting in quickly. "Okay. So I'm wrong."  
  
She laughed a little and gently flicked a raindrop from his nose.

* * *

Lindsay had been sitting in the diner all day, and had ordered very little. When it was about time for Jess to close up, He slid into the chair across from her. He wasn't quite sure what to say. He had no idea how to say "please leave" to someone who looked as distraught as she did.  
  
"Hi."  
  
She looked up. "Oh. Hey, Jess." She looked around and saw that she was the only person left. "You're closing. I'll... get out of your hair."  
  
They got to their feet at the same time, and stood awkwardly.  
  
"Uh... are you alright?" Jess asked. He mentally kicked himself. No, she wasn't okay.  
  
She tried to give him a smile. "I'm... I'll be okay," she told him.  
  
He nodded. "Where's Dean?"  
  
She sighed, her smile disappearing. "He's in Chicago."  
  
"He coming back?"  
  
Lindsay nodded. "Yeah... soon... he better be, at least."  
  
"Why do you want him to?" Jess asked nonchalantly. "He's a jerk."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. But I'm pregnant. And I'll be damned if I go through this alone."  
  
With that, she gathered her jacket and purse, and walked out, leaving Jess to sit back down and stare off into space.

* * *

Rory went over her article for the paper once more before putting it away. She glanced out the window and sighed at the pouring rain. Her mother was probably getting her dress all wet and muddy. And she missed Jess.  
  
Where had that come from?  
  
She sighed and wandered into her room, flopping onto her bed. She sighed and picked up the old bear from her pillow.  
  
"Hey, Hephaestus," she said, brushing his fur a little. She sighed. "You look sad."  
  
The bear, of course, said nothing.  
  
"You miss Jess, you say?" Rory smiled. "We can fix that."

* * *

She stopped and got a pizza before driving to the diner. If it hadn't been raining so hard, she would have walked. She looked into the window, and found him sitting at a table, staring off into space. She found the door unlocked, and she walked in.  
  
Jess looked up at her in slight surprise. "Hey. Thought you were studying."  
  
"I was," Rory smiled. "I finished."  
  
He nodded and sat back a little.  
  
"Everything okay?" she asked, opening up the pizza and taking a slice.  
  
He nodded slowly and let a smirk spread across his face. "You got my toppings."  
  
She smiled and handed him a slice. "I did. Eat up."  
  
He accepted the slice and took a bite in silence.  
  
Rory sighed. "Okay. Out with it."  
  
"Out with what?"  
  
"Whatever's bothering you," she replied. "Out with it."  
  
"There's nothing bothering me," Jess reassured.  
  
"Then why do you have bothered face?"  
  
"I don't."  
  
Rory finished her slice and reached into her purse. She pulled out Hephaestus and shoved him into Jess's face. "Even Hephaestus can see it."  
  
"Put that thing away," Jess ordered in an annoyed tone. "If you get sauce on him my mother will never forgive you... or me."  
  
Rory smiled and put the stuffed animal back in her bag. "Seriously. What is it?"  
  
Jess sighed. "Lindsay was in here."  
  
She looked a little surprised. "Oh... okay..."  
  
"She said she's pregnant."  
  
Rory's eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Wow... does Dean know?"  
  
Jess shrugged. "She said he's in Chicago right now."  
  
"Wow."  
  
He nodded, and they fell into silence as they ate their pizza.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You ah..." He sat back again. "You're not..."  
  
She had to smile a little. "Nope."  
  
He sighed. "Huh. Good."  
  
"Would you run to Chicago if I were?" she asked, studying her new slice.  
  
He squinted at her. "What the hell would I be doing in Chicago?"  
  
She snickered and handed him another slice.

* * *

Lorelai followed Luke as they rushed from the truck to the front porch. They were both soaked, and both a bit on the muddy side. When they reached the door, they looked each other up and down and Lorelai promptly started laughing.  
  
"What?" Luke asked with a chuckle.  
  
"You're totally soaked," Lorelai replied with a wide smile.  
  
"Yeah? So're you," Luke accused with a smirk.  
  
Lorelai laughed a little more and sighed. "Thanks for tonight... it was... it was really nice."  
  
"Yeah? I'm glad you had fun."  
  
"Did you?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. I had a great time."  
  
She nodded back. "Good."  
  
"Well," he said awkwardly. "I better get back before this rain gets any worse."  
  
Lorelai nodded. "Y'know, you'd think it'd snow already."  
  
Luke looked out at the rain. "It's coming late this year, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They leaned in to kiss, just as thunder cracked quite close. They both jumped apart, looking uncomfortable.  
  
Luke gave a weak smile. "I'm gonna get going."  
  
Lorelai nodded and watched him go. He was almost to the truck when she ran after him as best she could in her heels and the rain. He turned around just in time to be kissed soundly.  
  
She let go of him a few moments later and smiled. "G'night!" She rushed back through the rain up to the front door and let herself in.  
  
Luke watched her in slight shock, before getting into the truck and driving him with a smile. 


	49. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Hugs to Elise for being awesome!  
  
Knockin' on Heaven's Door  
  
The phone rang at four in the morning a week later, and Jess did his best to ignore it. He wanted to sleep. He had to open in a few hours, and he really couldn't afford any disturbance.  
  
But the phone was persistent.  
  
He groaned and picked it up. "If this isn't damned good, I'm gonna-" He stopped and listened. "Well... I..." He trailed off and sat up in bed. "No... Yeah... Well... Oh. Christ." He felt his breathing become shallow. "Uh... No, don't... I can... I know... No, I can call in sick, Jamie... It's fine... Fuck! I said it's fine!" He shook his head. "Sorry. Stop crying, will you? You hated her..." He sighed. "I'll be there."  
  
He hung up, and then began to dial another number.

* * *

Four tired moans were heard throughout the suite.  
  
Paris got to the phone first. "What in god's name could you possibly want from any of us at four in the damned morning?! My god, are you insane?! Some people have classes to get to in a few hours! We value our sleep! Curse you! Curse you for waking us!" She stopped. "Jess?! Oh, you are a dead man, Mariano! I am going to- What?! No! Just- UGH!" She handed the phone to Gloria. "It's for you."  
  
Rory gave Gloria a tired, confused look. "Jess?"  
  
Gloria sighed. "What in hell do you-"She stopped and blinked. "Huh?" She shook her head. "You're shitting me... She's... no way... She's messing with you again, you know she is... Well, then Jamie is messing with you! She's not dead, Jess. She's not dead. Shut up! She is not!"  
  
Rory took the phone from Gloria. "Jess?"  
  
His voice was a sigh of relief. "Rory."  
  
"What's going on?" She sat down in a chair in the common room.  
  
"Leslie died."  
  
"W-wh... Leslie died?"  
  
Gloria rolled her eyes and stormed back into her room, slamming the door behind her.  
  
Rory watched her go, but quickly turned her attention back to the phone. "Jess, I... Jess?"  
  
All she got in response was a dial tone.

* * *

Gloria had refused to go with Rory to his apartment, and so she went alone. She knocked on the door lightly, wary of waking his neighbors. When Jess didn't answer, she sighed and looked around the hallway. She tried the knob, and found it locked.  
  
"Jess?" she whispered. "Jess, it's me. Open the door."  
  
The door opened softly, and Jess appeared on the other side. He was disheveled from sleep, his hair messy. He wore his usual nightclothes; an old t-shirt and his boxers. And his hand was bleeding.  
  
Her eyes widened in shock. "Jess!"  
  
He shushed her and pulled her into the apartment with his uninjured hand. "Keep it down, it's four-thirty."  
  
She took his shaking, bloody hand and began to examine it. "What did you do?"  
  
"Hit a wall."  
  
"Looks bad."  
  
"It's fine."  
  
"You're bleeding."  
  
"It's fine."  
  
She sighed and let go of him. "I'm gonna go find something to clean that up."  
  
He nodded vaguely and watched her walk into the kitchen and find a dish towel, which she wetted under the faucet. She rushed back out to him and wrapped it around his hand. He hissed a little, but didn't move.  
  
Rory looked around and spotted a depression in the wall. "You dented it?"  
  
He shrugged and looked at his feet.  
  
"How many times did you hit it?" Rory asked.  
  
Jess shrugged again.  
  
She sighed. "When are you going?"  
  
"Sometime after the sun comes up," he replied.  
  
"I'm going with you."  
  
"No."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
He shook his head. "You have class."  
  
"I can miss."  
  
"Rory..."  
  
"I'm going with you."  
  
He sighed. "Fine. Whatever."  
  
She wrapped the dish towel tightly around his hand. "Come on... lets go get more sleep."  
  
He didn't move.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"I'm not sleeping anymore," he told her. "I'm just gonna read."  
  
Rory nodded. "I'll read with you."  
  
"You sleep. You look tired," he told her, running his thumb across her cheek.  
  
She took him by the shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You're scaring me."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
"I'm going for a walk."  
  
"It's almost five am," she replied.  
  
He walked to the door and left; dish towel and no shoes.  
  
She sat on the couch and stared at the dent in the wall.

* * *

Rory forced Jess to take a detour to the hospital in New Haven before heading to New York. He'd broken a couple of fingers, and bruised his hand badly. They wrapped it expertly, and Rory insisted on driving into the city.  
  
When they reached Sofia's apartment, Jess looked even more drained than he had the night before.  
  
Sofia looked him over as he stood next to Rory.  
  
"What did you hit?" She gestured to his wrapped hand.  
  
"The wall," Jess replied.  
  
"Why would you do that?" Sofia asked.  
  
Jess shrugged with a blank stare.  
  
Sofia shook her head. "Come in." She stepped aside and let them in. She hugged Rory lightly, and then took Jess's face in her aging hands. "Jess."  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
"You knew this would happen sometime."  
  
He still didn't reply.  
  
Sofia sighed and let him go.  
  
Rory looked around the apartment and found Jamie and Gloria curled up on the couch together. "Gloria?"  
  
She looked up and sniffed a little. "Hey, Rory."  
  
"I thought... you were staying at the dorm...?"  
  
Gloria shrugged a little and looked down at her lap. "Jamie came and picked me up."  
  
Rory nodded slowly and wrapped an arm around Jess as he walked to stand next to her.  
  
Gloria got up and tried to hug him, but he peeled her off quickly. She stood back, looking hurt, but he pretended not to notice.  
  
"Where'd they find her?" Jess asked, turning to Jamie.  
  
Jamie sighed and leaned forward. "Her basement."  
  
Jess stared at the floor.  
  
"Logan and Dora want us over tonight," Jamie said quietly.  
  
Rory gave a questioning look to Jess. Logan? Dora?  
  
Jess didn't look at her. "When?"  
  
"Soon," Jamie replied.  
  
Jess nodded. "We should get going then." He glanced at Gloria. "You coming?"  
  
Gloria nodded. "Just lemme get my coat." She disappeared down the hall.  
  
"Me, too," Jamie muttered, getting to his feet and following her.  
  
Rory turned to Jess. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Sit this one out," Jess muttered, zipping his jacket up.  
  
"Jess-"  
  
He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Rory... Please."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"A friend's house."  
  
"Why can't I come?"  
  
Jess sighed and leaned his head back. "Rory..."  
  
"Who are Logan and Dora?"  
  
"Friends."  
  
Rory nodded. "From where?"  
  
"Just stay here, alright?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
Jess met her eyes, and paused for a moment. "Because this isn't your business."  
  
They stared at each other, before Jess broke eye contact.  
  
"Come on, you two, we don't have all night," he snapped. "Let's go."  
  
Jamie sighed from inside Gloria's room. "We'll be right there!"  
  
Gloria shook her head as she pulled out a coat. "He's taking this badly."  
  
Jamie snorted. "You're not better. You yelled at me on the phone."  
  
"You cried like a girl," Gloria smirked as she shoved her arms through the jacket sleeves.  
  
Jamie rolled his eyes. "She and I had a thing!"  
  
"So did she and Jess."  
  
"Jess doesn't cry. Do you remember that last time Jess cried?"  
  
Gloria shook her head. "No. I don't."  
  
"Hey!" Jess called, his voice angrier than it was. "Stop fucking around and let's go!"  
  
Gloria's rushed out of her room, Jamie on her heels. She looked at Jess with worried eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't come."  
  
He glared.  
  
"Maybe she's right," Jamie said. "Maybe you should-"  
  
Jess turned and stalked out the door.  
  
Gloria sighed and turned to Rory, who was standing in the middle of the small living room looking slightly upset. The darker-haired girl shook her head. Her cousin had been at it again. She'd never understand him. "Whatever he said... don't... don't worry about it," she told Rory. "He's just... this is hard for him."  
  
"He hated her," Rory said quietly.  
  
Jamie nodded. "Sometimes hate isn't enough to make you stop caring... we'll keep an eye on Jess tonight."  
  
Rory nodded slowly.  
  
"Feel free to go through any of the movies in my room," Gloria said, offering a small smile. "And if you're in the mood for a laugh, I've got some old Harlequin Romances lying around."  
  
Rory gave a smile back. "Thanks."  
  
Gloria moved forward and hugged her roommate. "We'll bring him back in one piece."  
  
"Yeah, if I don't kick his ass before we get back," Jamie muttered.  
  
"I'll be the one doing the ass-kicking," Gloria snapped as she let go of Rory. "We'll see you later."  
  
Rory nodded and watched them walk out the door.

* * *

His knock was answered by a tiny blond, who stood in shock, leaning against the apartment doorway.  
  
"Oh, my god."  
  
Jess's lips twitched into a slight smile. "Hey, Dora."  
  
"Oh," Dora said sentimentally. She walked forward to hug him, but he moved back. She frowned. "This again?"  
  
He shrugged awkwardly.  
  
"Where are Jamie and Gloria?"  
  
"Not here yet," Jess replied shortly.  
  
She shook her head, and grabbed him by his leather coat sleeve. "Get in here. It's freezing and they don't heat the halls."  
  
Jess let her pull him in, and looked around the tiny apartment. It was only two rooms, and one happened to be the bathroom. The open space was filled with a large mattress, a refrigerator, a table and chairs, and a small, beat-up couch in front of a small coffee table that was the seat of three six-packs of beer, a bottle of wine and a bottle of whiskey.  
  
He remembered this place well. Too well. He shuddered ever-so- slightly.  
  
On the couch, a beefy-looking brunette was lying belly-down. "Who's here?" he grunted.  
  
"Jess, Logan," Dora replied.  
  
Logan snorted. "Fucking lying."  
  
"Look up and see," Dora said.  
  
Logan shifted onto his back and looked over. "Well fuck me silly and call me Cleopatra. It's Jess fucking Mariano."  
  
Jess nodded. "Logan." He turned back to Dora. "He started drinking without out?"  
  
Dora rolled her eyes. "He hasn't been completely sober since we found out."  
  
Jess nodded stiffly. "He's got the right idea."  
  
Logan reached over to the coffee table and picked up an unopened can of Bud. He hurled it at Jess, who barely caught it before it smacked him in the face.  
  
Dora snickered. "Are you allowed to drink? Jamie tells us you're dating the Virgin Mary now."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes and opened up the beer. "Don't believe Jamie. Rory's got a bit of the Magdalena in her."  
  
"Is she hot?" Logan asked, sitting up unsteadily.  
  
Jess nodded. "Yeah."  
  
And at that moment Jess wanted to kick himself. He'd really screwed up in how he'd handled things with Rory. He shouldn't have been so cold. He took a long chug of his beer. The knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts as he watched Dora open it and hug both Jamie and Gloria. He took another long swig.  
  
Jamie walked over to the coffee table and picked up a can of beer and cracked it open. He sauntered over to Jess and held his can up. "To Leslie."  
  
Jess nodded and raised his own beer. "May she burn in hell."

* * *

Sofia sat slowly next to Rory on the couch and sighed. "My grandson is an idiot."  
  
Rory frowned and crossed her arms tightly.  
  
"Leslie was never worth it," Sofia went on. "He knows that."  
  
"What were they like...?" Rory asked finally. "Together, I mean."  
  
"Stupid," Sofia replied calmly. "Drunk, mostly."  
  
Rory nodded, still not looking at the older woman. "Did they love each other?"  
  
Sofia rolled her eyes. "Love had nothing to do with it." She sighed. "Frankie always said that she would only bring him heartache. I think it was the only time Jess never listened to him."  
  
Rory finally looked up with interest. "Jess never... he never talks about this stuff..."  
  
"He was never one for sharing," Sofia replied.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Leslie was bad for him," Sofia went on.  
  
"What... what did she do?"

* * *

They were all on the floor.  
  
Jamie laughed sloppily. "Dude... Jess... you 'member when she stabbed you with a kitchen knife?"  
  
Jess laugh loudly. "Yeah, that sucked."  
  
Dora giggled and leaned on Gloria. "You 'member when she tried to stuff coke up your nose?"  
  
Jess nodded, still laughing. "Yeah, that sucked, too!" He took another swig of beer.  
  
"You remember when she asked to fuck both of us at the same time?" Logan asked with a snort.  
  
"Yeah," Jess giggled, obviously drunk. "That sucked most of all!"  
  
They all laughed.

* * *

Rory blinked in shock. "She... wow..."  
  
"She was an awful girl. Dumb and dangerous," Sofia replied grimly. "And she never let Jess let go." Sofia wearily got to her feet with a sigh. "I'm going to bed. If you like, you can stay in Gloria's room..."  
  
"No thanks," Rory smiled a little. "I think I'll wait up."  
  
Sofia nodded and watched Rory take a book out of her bag before walking herself down that hall.  
  
Jess shook his head as he swigged from a scotch bottle. "'M such a fucker."  
  
Gloria giggled. "Yeah." She was lying on the floor, nursing her umpteenth can of beer.  
  
"LOGAN!"  
  
"I'm right here, jack-ass!" Logan yelled from the kitchen where he was stumbling around, trying to mix himself a margarita. "Whadaya want?"  
  
"Wanna use'a phone," Jess replied. "Where'sa phone?!"  
  
Dora pegged him in the back of the head with a cordless and he turned around and glared at the tiny blond, who was giggling.  
  
"I got good aim for a drunk girl!"  
  
Jess grabbed the phone and dialed slowly.

* * *

Rory had been nodding off on the couch when her cell phone rang. She squinted and dug it out of her purse. "Hello?"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
Her name came out slurred, but she would recognize that voice for the rest of her life. "Jess?"  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"Out."  
  
"O...okay..."  
  
He sighed. "'M really... really sorry 'bout before," he tells her. "I was a fucker."  
  
Rory blinks and lies down. She wished she knew where he was. "Okay..."  
  
"I shouldn'a said all that stuff."  
  
"Jess..."  
  
"'M sorry."  
  
"When are you coming back?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Iono," he replied. "Soon I guess... Hey Rory?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Will you marry me?"  
  
She wasn't tired anymore. "Uh..."  
  
He laughed.  
  
She hung up. 


	50. Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland  
  
The door swung open hours later, but it didn't wake Rory, who had dozed off on the couch.  
  
Jess stumbled in just as Sofia stormed out. She glared. "Jess," she hissed.  
  
He smiled. "Hi."  
  
Sofia rolled her eyes and walked up to him. She gave his shoulders a hard shove and he stumbled back, landing on the floor.  
  
"Owww.... Grammaaaaa...."  
  
Sofia rolled her eyes and went back to bed.

* * *

When he woke up the next morning, Rory was placing a blanket over him.  
  
He must have been shivering. The floor was cold.  
  
"Rory?" his voice came out hoarse as he sat up. His head felt like it might explode.  
  
She helped him to sit up the rest of the way with a gentle hand on his back. "Hey."  
  
He said nothing more, only leaned forward a little and placed his head in his hands.  
  
"How do you feel?" she asked softly.  
  
"Like someone played roller hockey with my head."  
  
Rory nodded and rubbed his back. "You scared me last night."  
  
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.  
  
She nodded again. "I wish you wouldn't push me away so much."  
  
He stayed silent. He barely moved.  
  
"I want to be here for you," she went on. "All the time. Not just when you feel like it."  
  
He nodded slowly but didn't remove his hands.  
  
"Hey," she coaxed softly. "Jess."  
  
He sat up a little more, taking his hands away, but he didn't look at her.  
  
She noticed the remains of a single tear track on his cheek before he turned from her completely.  
  
She slid closer and wrapped her arms around him tightly.  
  
He let her.  
  
"It's snowing," Rory told him, clearing his cheek with her thumb.  
  
"Yeah?" Jess asked.  
  
"Yeah. We might be stuck here for a little."  
  
"Good," he nodded.  
  
"Good?" Rory questioned.  
  
He nodded again. "The city looks cool after it's snowed."  
  
She smiled. "You'll have to show me."  
  
He kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I will."

* * *

Lorelai sighed into her cell phone. "Okay, Babe. Be safe and we'll see you this weekend. Love you." She hung up the phone and walked back into the diner. "They're still in New York."  
  
Luke nodded as he poured her a cup of coffee. "They okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Lorelai nodded. "Staying with Sofia and heading back to New Haven tomorrow after the plows have done their thing."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Mhm," Lorelai replied as she sipped her coffee. She set her mug down and stared up at Luke. "What are you doing tonight?"  
  
Luke looked slightly nervous. "Nothing... why?"  
  
"I thought maybe we could rent a movie or something and just... hang out."  
  
"Hang out?"  
  
"Y'know... like a... second date type of hanging out... unless you don't want a second-"  
  
"Seven okay?" Luke cut her off, as he made his way to the cash register.  
  
She smiled. "Perfect."

* * *

Jess slowly stepped into the kitchen and sat down across from Sofia, who was drinking tea and reading.  
  
Jess opened his mouth to speak but the old woman cut him off.  
  
"You're a stupid boy," Sofia said without looking up. "But you're forgiven."  
  
He smirked a little.  
  
"Now go take a shower," she snapped. "You're stinking up my house."

* * *

Dean slowly walked into Al's and found Lindsay waiting for him. She looked pale and tired, and he instantly felt guilty. He'd been awful to her.  
  
Slowly, he sat down across from her and sighed. "Hi."  
  
She nodded. "Hi."  
  
After another moment of silence he got the nerve to speak up. "Listen, Lindsay, I think-"  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Dean stared in shock. "You... I.... you... are?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"Oh."  
  
They sat in more silence.

* * *

"We'll be late," Jess called to Sofia as he gathered his keys and jacket. "Don't wait up."  
  
Sofia nodded. "Take a scarf."  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Jess. Scarf."  
  
He sighed. "Whatever." He grudgingly did as he was told and went into the small front closet to pull down an old black scarf. He threw it on and was about to open the door, when Rory stopped him and wrapped the wool snug around his neck, making sure it covered his face.  
  
He gave her a glare.  
  
"What? It's cold."  
  
He shook his head and pulled the scarf down from his mouth. "Come on." He took her hand and led her out the door.  
  
Sofia smirked and took another sip of tea.

* * *

They weren't even watching the movie. They were too busy kissing.  
  
Lorelai smiled against Luke's lips.  
  
Life was good.

* * *

Jess sighed. "That's pretty much it... I'd take you to more spots but... it's getting dark, and... This is Manhattan, so..."  
  
"Crazy scary people," Rory nodded. "Right." She smiled as she took in her snowy surroundings. It had snowed so hard that the plows hadn't been able to get out yet, and so everything around them remained untouched. She'd never really seen anything like it. "You're right. This is amazing."  
  
Jess smirked as they kept walking. "My grandparents used to take us out of the city to go sledding."  
  
"Yeah?" Rory smiled, looping her arm through his.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Show me?"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Now."  
  
He shrugged. "It's late."  
  
"So?"  
  
"The streets aren't plowed yet."  
  
She sighed. "Come on! This is me trying to live on the edge a little. Let's go!"  
  
He smirked. "Okay."

* * *

It was a long, slow drive out of the city, but well worth it. The large hill Jess stopped in front of was covered in thick, fluffy snow.  
  
"It's beautiful," Rory grinned as she looked out the car window.  
  
Jess smirked. "Come on."  
  
When they trudged up to the top of the steep hill, they found Jamie and Gloria already there, lying in the snow.  
  
Jess prowled over to them silently, scooping up and packing down some snow on his way to make a perfect snowball.  
  
Rory watched with crossed arms as Jess spiked it down hard on Jamie's face.  
  
The blond cursed loudly and sat up to dive at his best friend's feet. Jess was knocked over and it sent them both rolling down the hill.  
  
"Jess!" Rory cried.  
  
Gloria laughed and sat up. "They're fine. They've done this a million times."  
  
Rory plopped down next to her roommate and watched the boys push each other around as they climbed back up the hill. "Where were you guys today?"  
  
"Still at Logan and Dora's," Gloria replied. "Too drunk to move."  
  
Rory nodded slowly. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Gloria giggled. "Regressing. Snow does that; you ever notice?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Rory smiled. "My mom turns into a seven-year-old when it snows."  
  
Gloria smiled back and laid back down.  
  
Rory watched as Jess shoved Jamie back down the hill. "They seem better."  
  
Gloria sat up again with a nod. "Yeah."  
  
"Jess cried a little."  
  
Gloria whipped her head to give Rory a shocked look. "Well... good."  
  
Rory nodded. "Did you guys ever bring Leslie here?"  
  
"Jamie tried once," Gloria replied. "Jess, too. She never wanted to come."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Gloria shrugged. "Thought it was stupid."  
  
Rory sighed as Jess made his way over to them.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
She looked up at him seriously. This wasn't stupid. This was special; this place. It was part of him. It was important.  
  
He blinked down at her. "What?"  
  
Rory grinned wolfishly and replied by pouncing at his legs, much like Jamie had, only she wasn't as strong.  
  
Jess fell backward with a surprised yell. "Rory!"  
  
She giggled and climbed on top of him. "Hi."  
  
"Hi. What was that?"  
  
She shrugged. "Felt like it."  
  
"Huh." He wrapped his arms around her. "What do you think?"  
  
She smiled. "I think we should come here again sometime."  
  
Jess nodded. "We can do that."

* * *

Their date had lasted a lot longer than either had expected.  
  
When it ended, and Luke went home, Lorelai automatically picked up the phone and dialed Rory's number.  
  
It took a few rings before she finally picked up.  
  
"Hell- AGH! COLD!"  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Hi, Mom!" Rory laughed. "We're having a snowball fight!"  
  
"You are?" Lorelai blinked. It seemed odd for them to e playing in the snow after someone had died.  
  
Another thought occurred to the older Gilmore.  
  
"Ooh, we missed the first snow again!"  
  
"Oh, no!" Rory cried. "Again! This must st- AH! JESS!!!"  
  
"I had another Luke date!" Lorelai said suddenly.  
  
"Ooooh!" Rory exclaimed. "Did it go as well as the last one?"  
  
"Better! We rented a movie!"  
  
"What movie?"  
  
Lorelai grinned. "I don't remember. We turned it on and I never saw a second!"  
  
"Gross!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I love you dearly, but you making out with Luke is not on my top ten favorite mental images list."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Lorelai mocked. "Like I'm fond of the Jess details you give me."  
  
Rory laughed. "Hey!"  
  
"Have fun, Sweets."  
  
"Bye, Mom!"  
  
"Bye." Lorelai hung up the phone and grinned to herself.

* * *

Jamie and Gloria had left soon after their snowball fight had ended, leaving Jess lying in the snow with Rory in his arms.  
  
"Are you okay?" Rory asked.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Liar."  
  
He sighed. "I'll be fine soon."  
  
She smiled and nodded. "Better."  
  
They were silent for a long moment.  
  
"Hey, Jess?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Last night..."  
  
He closed his eyes. "I said I was sorry."  
  
"You proposed to me over the phone."  
  
He opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow at her. "I did?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"Huh."  
  
More silence followed.  
  
"Just so you know," Rory said slowly. "I'm... not ready to get married."  
  
He nodded. "Good. Because I don't remember proposing. At all."  
  
She cuddled closer to him. "Well, good then."  
  
He nodded and smirked. "Yeah. Good." 


	51. Cold as Ice

Thankee to Marissa! And Elise... and.... Lots of other people.... Everybody who sends feebacks! Thankee!  
  
This part is dedicated to the s-h.org lit kids... who all love Nekkid!Jess just as much (if not more) as I do.  
  
Cold as Ice  
  
"He asked you to marry him?"  
  
Rory sighed as they got out of the car in front of Gilmore Manor. "He was really drunk. He doesn't even remember."  
  
Lorelai studied her daughter. "You wanted him to mean it."  
  
Rory blinked. "I did not."  
  
"You did," Lorelai nodded. "You wanted him to mean it, and then you'd have one of those meaningful 'we're not ready but maybe someday we'll get married and have a house and a van and babies and a dog!'"  
  
"He doesn't like dogs," Rory commented.  
  
Lorelai smiled. "That's so cute. You want to marry Jess."  
  
"We're too young!" Rory cried. "I am not ready to get married. Neither is he!"  
  
"Lorelai Leigh Mariano," Lorelai joked wistfully. "It doesn't have a bad ring to it... Rory Mariano sounds better. Mr. and Mrs. Jess Mariano."  
  
"Oh my god! Stop!"  
  
They reached the front door and Lorelai rang the bell. It opened and a woman they'd never seen stood before them.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Hello," Lorelai said formally. "Please inform Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore that their daughter and Mrs. Mariano have arrived."  
  
Rory paled. "Oh, my god."  
  
The maid looked confused. "Alright..." She walked off, leaving them to step into the house.  
  
"Mom, you have to stop," Rory begged. "Please?"  
  
Emily rushed out, looking worried. "Mrs. Mariano?"  
  
"She was joking," Rory replied with a nervous laugh. "She's just being... weird, and... joking. Joking... haha... Good joke, Mom."  
  
Lorelai smiled. "Rory wants to marry Jess. Isn't that cute?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Rory cringed.  
  
"No, it's not cute!" Emily cried. "She's only twenty years old and she wants to get married?! What about her education?! Her future?! Her-"  
  
"Someday!" Rory said loudly.  
  
Both women turned to look at her.  
  
"Someday... if we're still together and we're both... ready and... have money and... a place to live and... coffee... I wanna get married."  
  
Lorelai's smile widened. "Aw."  
  
"Oh, hush," Rory snapped. "You wanna marry Luke."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Emily turned to Lorelai this time. "The diner man?!"  
  
"I do not want to marry Luke!"  
  
"Sounded like wedding bells to me," Rory replied. "You didn't see any of that movie at all! You don't even remember what you rented!"  
  
"That doesn't mean I want to marry Luke," Lorelai protested.  
  
Rory started singing an off-key version of Here Comes the Bride as she swept herself into the dining room.  
  
Lorelai rushed after her. "Hey! I don't want to marry Luke!"  
  
Emily shook her head and followed.

* * *

"Did you tell them?"  
  
"No, Richard," Emily replied. "I haven't told them yet."  
  
"Told us what?" Rory asked.  
  
Emily smiled. "Your grandfather and I are hosting a Christmas ball for charity."  
  
Lorelai snickered. "A ball? You're hosting a ball?"  
  
Richard nodded. "Yes. It's a very elegant affair."  
  
"A ball," Lorelai smiled. "Like... that ACDC song?"  
  
"I'm sorry, who?" Emily asked.  
  
"I've got big balls, I've got big balls," Lorelai chanted.  
  
"They're a band, Grandma," Rory replied, giving a pointed look to her mother. . "Don't worry about it."  
  
Emily shook her head. "Anyways, the both of you are invited of course."  
  
"Thank you," Rory nodded with a smile.  
  
"And anyone you'd like to bring along."  
  
"And by anyone," Richard cut in. "She means everyone you can convince to come. We want as many people as possible to attend, and any guests the two of you can gather would be wonderful."  
  
"We already took the liberty of inviting Christopher and Sherry," Emily told them.  
  
Both girls looked confused.  
  
"Christopher and Sherry?" Lorelai asked. "As in..."  
  
"They're back together," Emily said. "You didn't know?"  
  
"We haven't gotten the chance to talk recently," Rory muttered.  
  
"Well, you'll get your chance to catch up at the ball," Richard said pleasantly.  
  
Both Rory and Lorelai shifted a little.

* * *

"A ball?"  
  
"A ball."  
  
Jess looked up from his book and squinted at her. "A ball?"  
  
Rory nodded, adjusting herself on the couch in Luke's apartment.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
She sighed. "You have to wear a tuxedo."  
  
He rolled his eyes.  
  
"I know, I know... I'm gonna have to wear a dress... a long one... frilly... probably. We'll suffer together."  
  
Jess looked unconvinced.  
  
"I'll be your best friend?"  
  
He blinked.  
  
She sighed. "It's one night..." she thought for a moment. "And you owe me a tux night. We missed prom."  
  
He frowned and looked back to his book.  
  
She sighed. Whoops. "I didn't mean..."  
  
He didn't look up. "Whatever. I'll go."  
  
She'd played the guilt card and she hadn't even meant to. "You don't have to if you really don't want to..."  
  
"I'll go."  
  
"Jess-"  
  
"I have to go help in the diner." He got up and walked out.  
  
She sat in shock, her book limp in her hand.  
  
He walked back in. "I didn't flunk out just so I wouldn't have to wear at tux," he said suddenly. "If I had my way, we would have gone. I would have been able to stay."  
  
He looked...  
  
Upset.  
  
He turned and rushed out again.  
  
She sped after him. "I'm sorry!"  
  
He kept walking.

* * *

"So... my parents are having this... ball thing..."  
  
"Oh, yeah?" Luke asked, looking interested. "Sounds pretty stuffy."  
  
"Mmm," Lorelai nodded. "Should be interesting, though..."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well," Lorelai replied, sitting back. "My parents told Rory and I that we could invite whoever we wanted... no limit on the number of people..."  
  
"Wow."  
  
Lorelai gave another nod. "Yeah."  
  
He stood in front of her table in silence.  
  
"Wanna go?" She asked. "Third date?"  
  
Luke smirked. "I was kinda hoping for a couple of more dates before Christmas."  
  
Lorelai smiled and was about to reply when Jess stormed out from behind the stairway curtain and headed for the door.  
  
"Hey, your shift is in ten minutes," Luke called.  
  
Jess replied by walking out of the diner.  
  
Lorelai blinked and looked over when Rory walked slowly out from behind the curtain. She looked pale.  
  
"Do I even want to know?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"He's mad at me," Rory muttered.  
  
Luke rolled his eyes.  
  
Rory slumped down next to her mother. "I told him about the ball."  
  
"And... he up and left because he doesn't like balls?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"No. He up and left because I brought up the fact that we never made it to prom, and he got all... guilty... and then mad... and then he ran."  
  
Lorelai sighed and put her arms around Rory. "You should go after him."  
  
Rory shook her head. "He doesn't want me to."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Luke asked, a little annoyed. "Go!"  
  
Rory hesitated for a moment before getting up and running out the door.  
  
Lorelai sighed and watched her go, and then turned back to Luke. "So... this ball... you in?"  
  
Luke smirked.

* * *

"Jess!"  
  
He stopped and sighed. "What?"  
  
Rory caught up to him. "Can we please just talk?"  
  
Jess sighed. "Later, okay? I just... I can't right now." He began to walk off again.  
  
She followed. "Jess, just hear me out."  
  
"I just wanna take a walk, Rory," Jess snapped, still walking. "I'll catch up with you later."  
  
"I wanna talk now!"  
  
"I don't!" Jess yelled.  
  
She followed him as he stormed off. "Jess, please."  
  
"Rory, come on," he pleaded as he made his way onto the bridge.  
  
"Why can't we just talk?"  
  
"I don't want to right now."  
  
"That's not good enough!"  
  
"Is anything?!"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?!"  
  
"I don't know! I just... I can't talk right now!"  
  
She took his arm. "Jess, please. Just... let me apologize... I didn't mean for what I said to hurt you."  
  
"Could have fooled me!"  
  
She stared in shock. Once she regained herself, she gave him a good shove, and sent him right into the lake.  
  
He bobbed to the surface, soaked. His clothes stuck to him as he shivered in the frozen water. He stared up at her blankly.  
  
She frowned and knelt down and helped him to climb out.

* * *

Thankfully, Lorelai wasn't home when they arrived at the Gilmore home. Rory had shed her coat and given it to Jess for the walk there. She led him into her room, and helped him to peel off his clothing. He stood, still shivering, clad only in his boxers as she took the comforter off of her bed and wrapped it around him.  
  
She sighed. "I'm sorry."  
  
He nodded. "Me, too."  
  
"I shouldn't push."  
  
"I said..." He sighed. "I'm sorry."  
  
"I didn't mean to guilt you."  
  
He nodded again. "I know. I took it badly."  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Leslie."  
  
He closed his eyes and then opened them again. "Rory..."  
  
"I understand," Rory said quickly. "If it were Dean..."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm gonna go make you coffee, and... put your clothes in the dryer," Rory told him.  
  
He nodded, and leaned down and kissed her. She smiled and walked out. He sat on the bed and shivered.  
  
She came back a few moments later, bearing a dry pair of boxers and a clean t-shirt.  
  
His boxers. His t-shirt.  
  
"Where'd you get those?" he asked.  
  
Rory smirked. "You're kleptomania wore off on me."  
  
"Clothes please."  
  
Rory raised an eyebrow. "Well..."  
  
Jess glared. "Jeez! It's freezing! Gimme the frickin' clothes!"  
  
"I like you naked," Rory pouted.  
  
Jess's mouth twitched into a smirk. "Well, if I'm going to be naked, the least you can do is keep me warm!"  
  
Rory blushed.  
  
"Come on," Jess pleaded. "I might get hypothermia and die. You don't want me to die, we just reconciled!"  
  
"You're all wet."  
  
"Some people like that."  
  
"I don't."  
  
"You've never tried it," he replied, walking closer. He shed the comforter and started kissing her.  
  
And then the doorbell rang.  
  
Rory dropped the small pile of clothes onto the floor and wrapped her arms around him, completely oblivious to the ringing from the front door.  
  
"Rory?!"  
  
It was her grandmother's voice coming from outside.  
  
"Rory, are you home?!"  
  
Jess moaned in protest as Rory pulled away from him. She frantically threw the clothes at him and rushed out of her room, slamming the door shut. She then skidded over to the front door and swung it open, completely out of breath.  
  
"Hi, Grandma!"  
  
"Rory, what's wrong?" Emily asked, looking completely confused. "You look exhausted."  
  
"I w-was... just... doing laundry," she smiled. "And I didn't hear the door because I had the music up."  
  
"Ah... well... I thought that I'd stop by and see if you wanted to go shopping for a dress for the ball."  
  
"Oh," Rory said. "Uh... Mom wants to make my dress."  
  
Emily sighed.  
  
"And she wants to make your dress, too," Rory went on. "She misses the seamstress thing since the Inn has been so busy."  
  
"Oh," Emily said thoughtfully. "Well... we'll see..."  
  
"I'm sorry you came all this way to-"  
  
"Well, I was hoping to spend time with you anyways," Emily smiled. She let herself in past Rory, just as Jess- fully changed- emerged from the bedroom.  
  
"Hey, Rory, are my-"He stopped. "Uh..." He shifted a little. "Hi... Mrs. Gilmore."  
  
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Jess." She turned to Rory. "Doing laundry... is that what you kids are calling it these days?"  
  
Rory turned a bright red. "Well-"  
  
"We are doing laundry," Jess interrupted. "I fell into the lake, and my clothes are in the dryer. Laundry."  
  
Emily nodded, a little skeptical. "Ah."  
  
"Hey, Mrs. Gilmore," Jess said, tilting his head. "I was wondering... this... ball... would it be alright if I invited my family?"  
  
Emily stood slightly flustered for a moment. "Well... I don't see why not..."  
  
Jess nodded. "Okay... I'll call them tonight, then."  
  
The tense mood lasted a few moments longer, before Emily sighed.  
  
"Well, I should be going." She kissed Rory on the cheek. "Tell your mother I'll call about the dress."  
  
Rory nodded and walked her back to the door. "Bye, Grandma."  
  
Jess gave a wave and watched Rory see her out.  
  
Rory walked back over. "Nice timing."  
  
Jess nodded. "I think so."  
  
She wrapped her arms around him. "Feeling warmer?"  
  
He shrugged. "Could be warmer..."  
  
She snickered and blushed a little. "Why did you ask to invite your family?"  
  
Jess smirked. "You've met them. Gloria, Jamie and Sofia... Liz and TJ... Jimmy, Sasha and Lily...they are the ultimate revenge."  
  
She laughed and he kissed her. 


	52. Cordially Invited

Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who showed their support during the whole flame thing. It's resolved. No worries. I probably blew it out of proportion, but I felt fairly offended. Anyways, just wanted to put a little thank you up here. hugs everybody

Sorry about the wait. I was blocked, and then I went on vacation. This may suck, but... shrugs and points

**Cordially Invited**

The phone rang a couple of hours later, waking Rory up. She reached over Jess's sleeping form to the cordless phone that rested on the nightstand. She pulled the bed sheet closer to her neck as she clicked the phone on. "Hello?"

"I just remembered that you're on winter break!"

"Hi, Mom," Rory smiled.

"Jess there?"

Rory glanced over at Jess, who had rolled over. His bare back faced her and she ran a finger down his shoulder blade. "Sleeping."

"Ah," Lorelai nodded. "Is he here for your break?"

"I think. I was too busy pushing him into the lake to ask."

"What?!"

"We fought... more... and I got mad."

"And you pushed him into the frozen lake."

Rory sighed. "He's fine."

"So my mother says."

Rory blushed. "Grandma called you?"

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai said. "She asked me if I knew Jess was running around my house with no pants on."

Rory blushed a little deeper. "And you said...?"

"That you guys were probably just having some bondage fun," Lorelai replied in a chipper tone.

"His pants are in the dryer," Rory pleaded.

Lorelai sighed. "Well, I went with the bondage... It kept her mind off of my apparent desire to marry Luke, thank you very much."

"Are you bringing Luke as your date?"

"Yeah."

"Well, give him fair warning: Grandma gave Jess permission to invite the Danes/Mariano clan to the ball."

"Jess is inviting his family?" Lorelai asked, obviously surprise.

"Mhm. He'd never admit it but I think he misses them," Rory said, curling up against Jess. "Plus, he sees it as payback for Grandma not liking him."

"Y'know?" Lorelai commented. "That's not a bad idea. Let's invite the entire town!"

Rory snickered. "Grandma will kill you."

"She's gotta catch me first."

"She will, in the dress you plan to wear," Rory reminded. "I saw your lay-out. You're crazy."

"Crazy, but gorgeous in a dress like that."

At that moment, Jess rolled over. "Tell her to hold it down. Some people like sleep."

Lorelai snorted. "Tell him it's only three pm."

Jess narrowed his eyes at the phone. "Tell her-"

"Both of you stop it," Rory scolded. "God, I thought you were past this phase."

"Never," they replied in unison.

Rory stayed silent for a moment. "That was frightening... you're not even in the same room with each other and you're minds are in synch."

"Are not."

Rory's eyes widened. "There you go again!"

Jess grumbled and turned over.

Rory snickered. "I gotta go, Mom."

"Bye, Sweets! Give Jess a big, wet grandma kiss for me!"

"Bye, Mom." She hung up the phone and curled up against Jess's back.

He turned to face her and wrapped an arm around her.

"Are you warm, now?"

He nodded. "Much warmer."

Rory smiled. "I promise I won't push you into frozen water again."

"Thanks," Jess replied with a smirk. He sighed. "We're staying here the rest of the day?"

"Got any better ideas?"

He shook his head and held her closer.

* * *

"Hello, son."

"Dad!"

Jess smirked. "How are you?"

"I'm great, Dad," Jimmy replied. "I just got an A on my English paper."

"Congratulations, son." Jess plopped down onto the couch in Luke's apartment that evening with the phone to his ear. "How are you?"

"Disgusted with these fat free... low sugar... low taste...Jesus, they aren't even cookies," Jimmy grumbled.

"Well, now I know where I get my holiday cheer from," Jess quipped.

Jimmy didn't answer.

"Speaking of the holidays..."

They'd said it in unison.

"You first," Jimmy told him.

Jess sighed. "Rory's grandparents are having this... Christmas ball thing... they said it was okay if I invited family..." He shifted a little and cleared his throat. "I was wondering if you guys wanted to come."

"Oh," Jimmy said. "Well... we were gonna invite you and Rory over here..."

Jess blinked, surprised. "Huh."

"But... y'know..."

Jess cleared his throat. "Well..."

"Uh..." Jimmy sighed. "Hey, Sash! You wanna talk to Jess?!"

Jess sighed and sat back. "Hold on a minute, Jimmy, I've got call waiting."

Jimmy laughed. "You've got call waiting?!"

Jess growled and clicked the flash button. "Hello?"

"Hi, Sweetie!"

"Hey, Liz," Jess sighed. "Can you hold on? I've got Jimmy on the other line."

"Oh, well tell him I said he's an asshole," Liz replied.

Jess squinted. "Why?"

"Just because."

Jess rolled his eyes and clicked the flash button again. "Hey. Liz is on the other line. She says to tell you you're an asshole."

"Excuse me?"

"Aw, Jeez!" Jess yelled. "Not you, Sasha! Jimmy! Jimmy's an asshole!"

"Okay," Sasha said slowly. "Tell Rory's family we'll be at their party."

"You're coming?" Jess asked with a hint of surprised.

"We're coming," Sasha confirmed. "We'll work out the details later, okay?"

"Okay," Jess nodded. "Bye." He clicked the flash button once more. "Liz?"

"Hey!" she cried cheerfully. "What are you and Rory doing for Christmas?"

Jess sighed.

* * *

"A ball?"

Rory nodded as she and Lane walked through the towns square. "A ball."

"And... I'm invited."

Rory smiled. "You are. As is Dave. And Zach and Brian if you like."

Lane smiled dreamily. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Rory replied. "Are you in?"

"Of course I'm in!" Lane cried. "Do they need entertainment? We'd play for free! I'd kill to have that kind of exposure."

"I'll ask," Rory said. "Though somehow I don't think my grandparents will be too keen on having a rock band."

Lane shrugged. "You never know... hey... is it true your mom and Luke are dating?"

Rory nodded. "I think so."

"Isn't that... weird?"

"Yeah," Rory shrugged. "Kind of. But it's also kind of cool... I mean...it's been coming for a long time, and my mom seems really happy."

Lane smiled. "That's awesome. They should have hooked up years ago."

* * *

"You're taking longer than I do!" She called from the diner counter.

"I'm primping!" Jess yelled back from the apartment.

"Well, hurry up!" Rory laughed. She took a seat and sipped her coffee.

"Hi."

She looked up, but said nothing.

Dean sighed. "Is this seat taken?"

"Afraid so," she replied. "You'll have to stand."

"Right," Dean nodded. "Can we talk?"

She lapsed into silence again.

"Listen: I'm sorry about what I did," he told her. "I shouldn't have freaked you out like that."

She nodded.

"I'm staying with Lindsay," he went on. "We're having a baby."

"I heard."

He sighed and sat down. "I still love you, Rory."

"That's seat's taken," Rory said quickly.

Dean got up again. "Sorry."

Rory frowned. "I love Jess. I'm sorry. Congratulations on the pregnancy." With that, she got up and walked out to the car.

Dean watched her with a sigh, just as Jess walked down the stairs. He narrowed his eyes at Dean. "Where's Rory?"

"Outside," Dean spat.

They stood glaring at each other for a long moment.

"I hope you're very happy," Dean scowled.

"As a matter of fact," Jess replied, running a hand through his hair. "I am pretty happy. Thanks."

With that, he walked out the door.

* * *

"Surprise."

Sofia shook her head at her grandson from the inside of the apartment. "You don't even like surprises."

He shrugged. "You do."

"I'm old," Sofia replied. "No old person likes surprises."

Jess rolled his eyes. "Can we come in?"

Sofia nodded and let him through, kissing him on the cheek before giving him a good shove into the apartment. She smiled. "Rory, it's so good to see you."

"Hi, Sofia," Rory smiled, giving the older woman a hug.

Sofia pulled back and gave Rory a once over. "You look well."

"Thanks."

"What brings you two here?" Sofia asked as she closed the door. "And in this weather. They say it will snow again."

"We'll deal with it," Jess replied. "Is Gloria around?"

"No, she's outside with Jamie," Sofia replied. "Trying to sober him up... again."

Jess smirked and shook his head. "Welcome home, Jess," he muttered.

"You still haven't told me what you're doing here," Sofia pointed out.

Rory smiled brightly at her. "What are you doing for Christmas?"


	53. Christmas Time is Here, By Golly!

**A Little Dramatic Irony #53:** _Christmas Time is Here, by Golly!_

"Let me see!"

"No!" Rory cried as she held the box she was wrapping away from her mother. "It isn't Christmas yet. No advanced viewings!"

Lorelai pouted and sat down. "It's not fair."

"You never let me see what you get me for Christmas," Rory pointed out.

"That's because I don't know," Lorelai claimed. "Santa is mysterious in his ways, remember?"

"I stopped believe in Santa when I was five, remember?" Rory asked. "You sat me on his lap at the mall, and his beard fell off."

Lorelai sighed. "Your childhood was ruined and it was all my fault."

"Darn tootin," Rory agreed.

"So, what did you get for Jess?" Lorelai asked.

Rory pursed her lips. "Nothing yet... I'm having such a hard time figuring out what to get him! I swear, he's the hardest person to shop for."

"Show up naked on his doorstep," Lorelai suggested, but then stopped. "Did I actually just tell you to show up naked on Jess's doorstep as his Christmas present?"

Rory nodded and blushed slightly. "You did."

"I must be loosing my mind," Lorelai muttered. She got up. "I'm going to Luke's for coffee."

Rory smirked as she kept wrapping the present. "Uh-huh."

"What?!" Lorelai cried. "Just for coffee!"

"Mhm," Rory replied, her smirk turning into a smile. "Coffee."

"Coffee," Lorelai agreed.

"Go," Rory ordered. "I have to leave soon, anyways. Jess and I are gonna go pick up Jimmy, Sasha and Lily at the airport."

"Come with me, then you and Jess can leave from the diner," Lorelai pointed out.

"I need to finish wrapping," Rory replied. "I need to Lorelai-proof this box."

"It is Lorelai-proof!"

Rory crossed her arms. "You can still get into it."

"Let me try," Lorelai countered. "I'll show you I can't!"

Rory got up to stop her from reaching for the box. "No touchy! You'll run off with it."

Lorelai gave her an insulted look. "I will not!"

"You will. You've done it before."

"I promise, I will not run off with the box," Lorelai said calmly.

"Go get coffee," Rory ordered.

Lorelai stared longingly at the box sitting on the table behind Rory.

Rory groaned, grabbed both their coats, shoved her mother's into her arms, and pushed her to the door. "We're going to Luke's."

Lorelai grinned. "I'm glad you see things my way."

* * *

The plane was late.

Very late.

Jess sighed and slumped back on the stuff airport bench.

"They'll be here soon," Rory reassured him as she sat down next to him. She held a to-go cup out to him.

He smirked at her. "You found coffee."

"I did."

"God, it's like a sixth sense," Jess muttered, taking the cup gratefully and took a sip.

"All part of growing up with Lorelai Gilmore," Rory replied. "Did your mom teach you to sniff out anything when you were growing up?"

Jess shrugged. "Her house keys. She never remembered them... and beer. She liked beer."

"She sure did."

They looked up to see Jimmy standing in front of them.

Jess got to his feet and shook his father's hand. "Hi."

"Hey," Jimmy replied. "Sorry. Sasha had to go to the bathroom, and Lily ran into a pillar."

"What?" Rory asked, getting up to stand next to Jess.

Jimmy shrugged. "She's not used to this airport, and she was reading and walking... it happens."

Jess smirked. "Amateur."

"Jerk," Lily snapped from behind Jimmy.

"How was the flight?"

"Crap," Jimmy replied. "Cramped... smelly..."

"Loud," Sasha added, coming into view. "That baby behind us was loud."

Jimmy sighed. "Can we get outta here?"

Jess nodded and got to his feet. "Let's go."

* * *

"We're back!" Rory called as they entered the house.

Lorelai rushed down the stairs and smiled. "Hi! I'm Lorelai Gilmore."

Jimmy nodded. "Hi. We met briefly last year."

Lorelai nodded and shook his hand. "Right."

Sasha held out her own hand to Lorelai. "I'm Sasha."

"Lorelai Gilmore," Lorelai replied with a smile, taking her hand after letting go of Jimmy's. "It's nice to meet you both."

Sasha gave Lily a push forward. "This is my daughter, Lily."

"Hi, Lily," Lorelai smiled down at her.

She nodded, but didn't look up from her book.

"You've got one of those, too, huh?"

Sasha nodded and wrapped an arm around Jess, who raised an eyebrow at her. "We've got two."

Jess rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Luke!!"

Luke walked out from the kitchen to find Liz leaning against the diner counter. "Hey!"

She smiled. "Hey, big brother."

"You just got in?"

Liz nodded. "Just got in. TJ is parking the car."

Luke tried to smile. "Good..."

"Be nice," Liz ordered.

"Only if Jess is nice," Luke grumbled.

"Luke," she warned.

He sighed. "Fine."

* * *

"Mom, be nice."

Emily sighed as Lorelai hung her coat up on the rack by the front door. "Why wouldn't I be nice?"

"Because you don't have a lot in common with Jess's family," Lorelai replied slowly. "Just... be polite."

Richard smiled as he entered the house. "Hello, Lorelai."

"Hi, Dad," Lorelai replied. She held out her hand.

He slid it off and handed it to her. "Thank you."

Lorelai nodded and hung it up. "So. We're all going to go in there and act like normal, civil people."

"Dammit, TJ! Keep your hands outta the spaghetti sauce!" Jess yelled from the kitchen.

Emily raised an eyebrow at Lorelai, who sighed.

"I invited you so you wouldn't be surprised by anything that they say or do at the ball," Lorelai said.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Lorelai," Richard reassured.

"Jesus Christ, Liz, get outta my way!"

"Go to hell, Jimmy!"

The three Gilmores stayed silent.

* * *

Dinner was eaten without much incident, and the occupants of the house spread out. Rory, Sasha and Lily went digging through the books in Rory's room, and Liz and Luke were talking in the kitchen, but the rest of the group were gathered in the living room.

Emily stared at the half-finished gown adorning Lorelai's mannequin. "Why does it have to be brown?"

"You look good in brown," Lorelai replied as she mended a seem on the dress. "Don't think of it as brown... think of it as... Auburn, or Autumn."

"Feces," Jess muttered.

Lorelai turned a glare on him. "One more word out of you and I'll kick you so hard in the butt your feces won't be regular for a week."

"That's disgusting," Emily commented, obviously revolted.

"I thought it was funny," Jimmy said, walking in and sitting next to Jess with a beer.

Jess gave him a sideways glace. "What's that?"

"Nothing."

Jess snatched the beer from him.

"Hey!" Jimmy cried.

"You're an idiot," Jess told him.

"Give it," Jimmy ordered.

"Sasha!" Jess yelled. "Jimmy's trying to drink beer again!"

Sasha walked out into the living room and glared at Jimmy.

He cringed. "Hey, Sash..."

"No beer, Jimmy," she ordered.

"I don't see what the problem is," Emily muttered. "A grown man wants beer."

"A grown man with heart problems," Lorelai pointed out.

Emily stayed silent for a moment. "...Oh... I'd forgotten." She sighed, changing the subject. "You know Jess and his father don't look at all alike."

"So?" Lorelai asked. "I don't look like you."

"You do so," Emily objected. "You have my nose; and we have the same hair consistency."

"Okay, Mom," Lorelai nodded.

Liz walked out into the living room and spotted Jess, beer to his lips. "Jess Benjamin Mariano! You put that beer down!" she cried.

Jess put the beer down after a long swig and sighed.

"Benjamin?!" Rory cried from her room. She rushed out and stood in front of her boyfriend with a grin on her face. "Boyfriend?!"

Jess shifted uncomfortably.

Rory snickered at him.

Jess glared at Jimmy.

"Hey," Jimmy defended. "I gave you your first name. The middle name was all Liz."

Jess turned his glared to his mother. "Shoulda known."

Liz gave him a brilliant smile and waved before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Both men rolled their eyes.

* * *

Rory merely laughed out loud and rushed back into her room. "Benjamin!"

Jess sighed as he unlocked the door to his apartment in New Haven. He swung it open and flipped on the lights.

Jimmy looked around as his son led them in. "Not bad."

Jess nodded. "Thanks."

Sasha looked around and nodded. "It's not as messy as I thought it'd be."

Jess rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna crash here tonight, too... so you guys can have the fold-out couch, and I've got a sleeping bag for Lily."

Lily gave a bitter expression. "How come I get the floor?"

Sasha raised blinked at her. "Why do you think."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine."

* * *

"We meet back here in two hours. I don't wanna have to come looking for any of you."

They were standing in the mall, ready to shop. Luke didn't even get his last words out before the entire group dispersed into the wild atmosphere.

Christmas shopping.

Luke hated Christmas shopping.

He hated it with a passion, but he really needed to get gifts. For Jess; For Liz; For Lorelai...

Lorelai.

He sighed.

It was going to be a long, long day.

* * *

Rory sighed as she sifted through the bookstore. She just couldn't find a decent gift for Jess.

Until she tripped over a discarded book on the ground.

She looked down and grinned at the paperback.

picked it up.

* * *

Lorelai smiled as she purchased her gifts.

* * *

He roamed the mall, carrying the heavy bags filled with his purchases. A present for Liz; a present for Jimmy and Sasha; some books for Lily; new boxing gloves for Jamie; a couple of video games for Gloria; a nice set of picture frames for Sofia; the new Buffet CD for Luke.

He was on his way to the jewelry store to find something nice for Rory.

Something nice.

He walked in and wandered around, studying the glittering pieces through their glass cases. He glimpsed an opal star on a silver chain. It was nice. It was her birthstone.

Score.

He had it boxed and wrapped, and bagged, and he was about to leave.

About to.

It caught his eye out of nowhere.

Okay, not out of nowhere.

It was small. Thin. Perfect. One diamond set in a plain silver band.

Huh.


	54. Big Balls

**A Little Dramatic Irony #54: Big Balls **

He sighed as he sat on the edge of his bed, wearing his tux with a velvet ring box in hand.

To ask... or not to ask?"

T'was the question indeed.

"Jess?!"

He looked up at his closed bedroom door. "Yeah!"

"We're ready to go!" Sasha's voice called.

"Be right out!" He replied. "He sighed and stared down at the box another moment before placing it in the drawer of the night stand just as the door opened.

"Hey," Jimmy said. "Let's go."

Jess nodded and got up. "Yeah."

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You gonna say anything other than 'yeah'?" Jimmy asked.

Jess shook his head, and Jimmy shoved him out the door.

* * *

Emily smiled as she looked in the mirror. She wore the dress Lorelai had made for her, her hair done up nicely. "Well... I must say, you've outdone yourself with this dress."

Lorelai beamed. "I know." She looked down at her own sleek, red dress and grinned more. "Rory! Come in here and tell Mommy she looks pretty!"

Emily rolled her eyes.

Rory walked in, wearing her own silver gown. "Mommy looks pretty," she smiled.

Lorelai smiled back. "Rory looks pretty, too."

Emily sighed. "Yes, yes we're all very pretty. Come on. We have things to take care of before going to the ball room."

Lorelai sighed. "Goody... where's Dad?"

"He's already there," Emily called as they followed her down the hall. "Making sure things go well."

Rory shrugged at her mother as they walked down the hall.

* * *

Liz snickered and straightened out Luke's tie. "My big brother looks so handsome."

Luke rolled his eyes.

"She's not wrong," TJ interjected, straightening out his own tux. "Ya look hot."

"Jeez," Luke muttered. It was times like these that he really missed Jess.

He mentally slapped himself for thinking that.

"How do I look?" Liz asked, twirling in the pink evening gown she wore.

"Like a big wad of chewing gum," Luke smirked.

"Hey!" Liz laughed, smacking him lightly on the arm.

"A beautiful wad of chewing gum," TJ added.

Liz rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Go change."

"What?!"

Jess glared at his best friend. "Go change."

"Change into what?" Jamie demanded. "This is what I got!"

Jess growled. "You're not getting into the car until you put on something else!"

Gloria sighed. She, Sofia and Jamie had met up with Jess and company outside of his apartment complex in New Haven. She smoothed out her slinky, purple dress.

Jamie had opted for something a little less classy.

Namely, a neon pink tuxedo.

Sofia shook her head. "Jess, we don't have the time for this."

"Listen, if he shows up like that, Emily Gilmore is gonna kill me," Jess snapped. "Not a pleasant death. I've heard the stories."

"I doubt she'll lose face at the ball," Sasha said. "We need to leave."

Jess glared at Jamie. "You better be lucky this tux is rented. Otherwise, I'd be kickin' your ass right now." With that, he shoved himself into the driver's seat of his car and slammed the door.

Jamie blew him a kiss, and got into the back.

* * *

Sasha sighed as they stood outside the entrance of the ballroom in Hartford. "Inspection time!"

Jimmy, Jess and Lily lined up for her scrutiny. Sasha began to straighten them out a little.

"Hi!!"

Jess sighed heavily. "Why did I choose to put myself through this?" he muttered.

"Because you're in idiot," Luke replied, sauntering up to him. "Nice tux."

Jess glared.

Jimmy shifted awkwardly. "Liz."

She nodded. "Jimmy."

"Jimmy," TJ repeated.

"TJ," Jimmy acknowledged.

"Liz," Sasha nodded.

"Sasha," Liz muttered.

Jess rolled his eyes and turned to Luke. "Luke."

"Jess," Luke nodded.

"What about me?" Lily snapped.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't count?" Jess smirked.

She pinched him on the hand.

"Ow!"

Gloria rushed up to them, hopping on one leg, trying to get a heel onto the other foot. "Sorry! Had to... take care of something really fast!"

Jamie walked up casually behind her, a smirk plastered onto his face.

Jess grew horrified. "You... you had a quickie?!"

Gloria blushed, and Jamie shrugged, his smirk growing wider.

Jess shook his head. "I hate you both... where's Sofia?"

"She went in already," Jimmy replied. "She doesn't wanna wait around out here while we act like assholes."

"I don't blame her," Jess snapped. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

"Christopher."

He nodded uncomfortably as Sherry hung off of his arm. "Hey, Lor."

"Hi, Dad," Rory said, crossing her arms.

"Hey," Chris smiled a little. "You guys look great."

"Thanks," they both muttered.

Sherry smiled. "How have you guys been?"

"Fine," Lorelai nodded. "Perfectly- Luke!!" She rushed over to where Luke had just walked in and dragged him over to Chris, Sherry and Rory. "You guys have to meet Luke!"

"I've met Luke," Chris replied, a puzzled expression playing on his face.

"I haven't," Sherry said. She smiled wider. "Hi, Luke! You must be Lorelai's date!"

Luke cleared his throat. "Yeah, that would be me."

Rory sighed and looked around. She spotted Jess standing awkwardly by the door, and smiled. "I'll be back in a bit." She walked away from them and up to Jess. "Hi."

He smirked at her. "Hi."

"You look great," she told him with a grin, smoothing out the arm of his sleeve.

"So do you," he nodded. "That's some dress."

"A Lorelai original," Rory nodded. She looked around and spotted Jamie. "Oh... wow..."

Jess gritted his teeth. "He's getting his ass kicked when we get home tonight."

She giggled. "That's a very pink tuxedo."

Jess sighed and spotted Emily eyeing Jamie disapprovingly. "Oh, great..."

"Don't worry about it," Rory told him, taking his hand. "Don't worry about anything, just... try and have fun."

"Are you having fun?"

She sighed. "Well..."

"Let's go."

"Jess..."

"Come on, we'll get outta here," Jess urged.

"No," Rory told him firmly.

He sighed. "Fine."

* * *

"Lane...Lane the tux is choking me..."

Lane sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Brian, you're not choking."

"I am!"

Dave sighed and wrapped an arm his girlfriend. "This is really nice."

Zach nodded at them and looked around a little. He spotted a couple of girls their age in a corner and smirked. "I... I might not be back." With that, he walked off.

Lane rolled her eyes.

Dave smiled at her. "May I have this dance?"

Lane sighed and let her own smile show through. "Of course."

* * *

"Jamie, don't," Gloria snapped.

Jamie smirked as he dumped a large amount of alcohol from a flask into the large, crystal punch bowl. "Come on, Gloria, have some fun."

"Y'know, every time you do this, it never turns out well," Gloria chided.

Jamie grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "You worry too much." He promptly took a glass and filled it with punch. He took a long swig and smiled broadly.

* * *

Emily jumped back as she opened up the coat room door to put another couple of guests' jackets in. "Oh!"

Lily looked up from her book. "Hi."

"Hello..." Emily replied warily as she hung up the jackets. "What are you doing in here?"

"Reading."

Emily nodded slowly and walked out. "Richard?"

He turned as his wife walked up to him. "What is it, Emily?"

"Did you know that Lily is reading in the coat closet?"

"Really?" Richard asked interestedly. "What book?"

Emily rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Ah, Rory. Wonderful to see you."

"Hi, Gram," Rory smiled politely as her great-grandmother walked over to her with her cane. "How are you?"

"Well, thank you," Trix nodded. "I trust you are equally of good health?"

"I am."

"Splendid. How is Yale?"

Rory nodded. "Going very well."

"You're still living on campus?"

"I come home on weekends," Rory informed her.

"Nonsense," Trix protested. "A girl your age should be participating in weekend activities! Meeting new people!"

"My boyfriend spends his weekends in Stars Hollow, Gram," Rory replied. "That's our time together."

"Oh... I see... and who is this boyfriend?"

Rory bit her lip. "Well... he's..."

At that moment, Jess and Gloria walked past, carrying Jamie between them.

Gloria smiled brilliantly. "Hey, Ror!"

Rory blushed. "Hi..."

"Too much punch," Jess informed her. "He's got no one to blame but himself."

"My word," Trix snapped. "That inebriated young man isn't your boyfriend, is he?!"

"Oh!" Rory cried. "No. It's the young man holding him up."

Jess nodded. "Mrs. Gilmore."

"Gram, that's Jess," Rory said hopefully. "His cousin Gloria, and his best friend, Jamie."

Trix eyed them warily. "I see..."

Sofia walked over at that point and rolled her eyes. "Oh, just let him drop."

"Yes, Grandma," the two Marianos said at once, and let Jamie fall to the floor.

Trix raised an eyebrow at Sofia. "Hello."

Sofia nodded tersely. "Hello."

"Gram," Rory introduced. "This is Jess's grandmother, Sofia Mariano. Sofia, this is my great-grandmother, Lorelai Gilmore."

Sofia gave her a confused look. "Another Lorelai."

"It is a family name," Trix told her.

"Quite conceited to name children after family members who are still alive," Sofia commented.

Rory flinched slightly, and Jess raised an eyebrow at his grandmother.

"I beg your pardon?" Trix asked, slightly taken aback.

Sofia smirked and nodded. "It was a pleasure meeting you... Jess, Gloria, take Jamie outside, please."

Both of them nodded and lifted Jamie off the floor again. Sofia followed them as they walked outside.

"What was that?" Jess asked his grandmother.

"I don't take kindly old ninnies with too much money," Sofia replied. "And don't tell me you didn't enjoy that."

"Never said that," Jess shrugged. "Just... wow. And the Gilmores were worried about my behavior."

They stopped as they neared the side of the building, and they set Jamie down.

"I'm gonna go back in," Gloria told them.

Jess nodded. "I should, too."

"I want to talk to you," Sofia told him, holding him back as Gloria went inside.

"What?"

"How hard do you think it was for Richard Gilmore to make a living when he got out of college?" Sofia asked.

Jess shrugged. "Not hard... why?"

"How hard do you think it was for Frankie to make a living when he got out of high school?"

"Not easy... what's this-"

"The Gilmores may have a lot of money," Sofia cut him off. "But that doesn't make them better than we are."

"I know," Jess replied, scratching the back of his head.

Sofia smiled and straightened his hair out a little. "Don't let that old bat intimidate you."

"Not a chance," Jess smirked. "You're scarier than she is."

She smacked him lightly, and they headed back inside.

* * *

Luke shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks, and glanced at Lorelai, who was smiling at the dance floor.

"Lane and Dave are so cute," she said, watching the couple dance. "It's so great that he came back from California."

Luke nodded. "They're good together."

Lorelai turned to him. "Any chance of my dragging your butt out there?"

Luke nodded a little. "I may be persuaded."

She smiled wider and took his hand, pulling him onto the dance floor.

* * *

Rory grinned as she watched Luke and Lorelai start dancing. She glanced around and, but didn't see Jess.

It wasn't all that surprising.

She glanced out one of the large windows to see him standing out on the grass, a ways away from the building, smoking a cigarette.

"Rory!"

She turned and smiled. "Hey, Gloria, having fun?"

Gloria grinned and nodded. "Oh, yeah."

"Where did you guys stash Jamie?" Rory asked.

"The side of the building," Gloria replied. "He'll come to eventually. I think before he does, Jess and I are gonna steal his clothes."

Rory snickered. "Someone should, that tux is awful."

Gloria gave a giggle and wrapped an arm around the other girl. "Don't tell Jess, but... I picked it out."

Rory laughed loudly and shoved the other girl a little. "Evil!"

"Damn right!"

"Your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks," Gloria nodded. "When you see Jess, tell him to find me for the Jamie torture."

"Will-do," Rory nodded back.

Gloria gave her a playful shove and then disappeared into the crowd of guests.

Rory glanced out the window again, and smiled.

* * *

"Where's Rory going?" Emily asked, watching her granddaughter head for the door. "She isn't leaving, is she?"

Richard smiled and took his wife's hand. "You worry too much. May I have this dance?"

Emily sighed and smiled a little. "I suppose."

* * *

Rory walked out onto the grass, careful of her dress. "Hey."

He turned, stubbing out his cigarette. "Hey."

"What are you doing out here?"

Jess shrugged. "Just getting some air."

She smiled a little and walked to stand next to him. "You okay?"

He nodded, putting an arm around her. "You look nice."

She smiled, looping her own arm around his waist. "So do you... the tux looks great."

"I hate it."

"You'll live," she snickered.

He smirked out at the night. "I will." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a book.

"Jess!"

"What?" Jess snapped with a smirk.

She pushed him to the ground, and he laughed a little, pulling her down with him.


	55. A Little Dramatic Epilogue

**A Little Dramatic Irony: A Little Dramatic Epilogue: **

_4 Years Later_

They'd both taken off of work to spend their fifth anniversary in Stars Hollow.

She was waiting for him in the car outside of their very recently rented apartment in the city.

He'd told her he was going to pick some music for the ride.

Half-truth.

Jess Mariano had always been good with those.

He picked up a few jewel cases off of their music shelf and then moved to the bookshelf. He shoved aside his collection of Hemmingways and there it was.

He snatched the small ring box up, shoved it into his jacket pocket, and sauntered out.

**END**

Er...

Continued in How to Plan a Wedding without Killing Your Loved Ones in the Process

**NOTES:**

Thank you so much to everyone who read and/or reviewed this. This was my very first Gilmore Girls fanfic, and the support I received was just amazing. I love all of you who are reading.

::Tips hat and walks off::


	56. Deleted Scenes

A/N: Okay! These are scenes that were replaced, and just never made it into the fic. I thought people might enjoy them, so I'm posting.

**Pt 16 deleted Shaving Cream scene. **

"Ugh. This stuff is so depressing," Rory said over the sounds of water hitting skin and tile.

Jess sighed as he took a shower. She was sitting on the closed toilet while he cleaned up. "Well, it is Baudelaire. And Baudelaire is depressing."

"The guy likens his prostitute girlfriend to a vampire."

"Clever, wasn't he?"

"Depressing."

He shut off the water and stood there dripping. "Towel?"

She grabbed the towel and held it up to him behind the shower curtain, all without looking away from her book.

"Thanks."

"Uh-huh."

He stepped out with the towel wrapped around his waist, and looked in the mirror at his stubbly face.

She watched him inspect his face and let her eyes wander to his bare back. Smooth skin and muscle. She shook out her head and looked back to his face. "Shaving day?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm starting to look like a hobo."

"But a cute hobo."

He cracked a smirk for her and picked up the bottle of shaving cream.

"Can I?"

He blinked at her from the mirror. "You are so weird."

She got up and plucked the bottle out of his hands to shake it up. "What? It's fun."

Jess smirked again. "You just like spreading it on my face because you know if you tried to get me with it in my sleep I'd wake up."

"I've been discovered." She put some of the shaving cream on her hands and began to apply it to his face.

"How are you good at this?" he asked.

She shrugged and finished with his face. "Just am." He went to grab his razor but she stopped him. "Not done."

He gave her a quizzical look as she sprayed some gel on his stomach, and rubbed it to turn into cream. When Jess looked back into the mirror, he found a shaving cream smiley face where she had sprayed.

He gave her snickering form a scowl. "I despise you."

She laughed. "I think it makes a statement."

"I think in about four seconds, you're gonna be covered in shaving cream."

In a matter of five minutes, the bathroom and both inhabitants were covered in shaving cream.

A minute later, she was in his arms kissing him deeply.

She let her hands wander over his back. They traveled down his sides to his bare hips.

Bare?

She let go of him and whirled around, her face reddening by the second.

He looked down at his naked form, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Oh..."

"Sorry," she said softly.

He put the towel back in place and looked around. "We should clean up..."

She whirled back around to face him. "I'm not ready."

He gave her a slightly confused expression, and she turned a deeper shade of red.

He nodded, understanding. "I can handle that."

"Really?"

He kissed her softly. "Yeah." He ran a finger down her nose, wiping some shaving cream off of it. "I need pants."

She nodded and began cleaning up.

**Alternate Jess and Christopher Meeting Pt 13 **

"Yes?"

"Uh... I'm looking for Lorelai Gilmore."

Jess leaned against the doorframe. "Which?"

"Senior."

"Not here. Can you settle for junior?"

"I..."

"Rory! Yuppie at the door for you!"

Christopher raised an eyebrow.

"Well, make something up!" Rory called. "You're a good liar. Tell him I died by pasta!"

Jess sighed. "You heard the lady. Death by pasta. Tragic, really."

Christopher's eyebrow rose higher. "You the boyfriend?"

He gave a nod. "Who're you?"

"The Dad."

Jess paled slightly. "Oh... shit... Rory!!!"

"Death by pasta, Jess!"

"The yuppie is your dad!"

**Alternate Halloween Conversation Ch. 37**

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Jess!"

"Rory, no."

"You can be Satan."

He stopped moving around the diner. "You mean it?"

She nodded as he walked behind the counter across from her stool. "Yup."

"And what will you go as?" he asked her skeptically.

"God."

He cracked a smirk. "And what does God look like?"

"Me."

"And Satan looks like me."

She nodded.

"Should I be insulted?"

"You were all excited a minute ago!" Rory cried.

"I wasn't excited," Jess told her. 'I showed mild interest."

"Liar. I saw excitement in your eyes."

He smirked again. "And what do I get if I go?"

"The satisfaction of knowing you made me happy," she replied.

"Ah...huh..."

"And that you will probably annoy the entire town population."

He looked at her thoughtfully, and then leaned over the counter. "So... what does Satan wear?"

**Alternate opening scene to Ch. 17 **

Emily was in shock.

"That woman left him and he came to you and you rejected him?"

Lorelai sighed. "It wouldn't have been right, Mom."

"I don't understand."

"Rory and I both felt that it wasn't right."

"You finally had a chance and you turned him down!"

"Mom-"

Emily shook her head. "I just... I can't believe it."

"Believe it, Mom."

"You just sent him away?"

"It didn't feel right anymore," Lorelai pleaded again. "Apart of me will always care for Chris, but it can't work out. It never does. And he and Rory are completely on the rocks. How can I possibly have a relationship with someone she can't talk to?"

"She'd get over it," Emily snapped.

"He hasn't called in months," Lorelai snapped back. "All of the sudden he wants to be a family again? And this soon after Sherry left him?"

Emily sighed.

"It's not right, Mom. Not anymore."

Emily glared at her daughter. "Fine."

Silence resonated throughout the dining room. Both Emily and Lorelai still glaring at each other.

Richard sighed. "Well, if it didn't feel right, then she made the right decision."

Both women stared at him in shock.

"It would have been a strained relationship," Richard went on. "And that would put a strain on Rory."

"She's a young woman," Emily pointed out. "She could have handled it."

"She would have resented them both," Richard replied. "Christopher more than she already does. It the window of opportunity has closed, it has closed."

Lorelai nodded. "Thank you, Dad."

Richard shook his head. "I will say that you should have married him in the first place."

Lorelai dropped her fork. "Oh, where we go."

**Alternate Conversation in Ch. 45**

"Dean and Gloria?"

Rory nodded as she plopped down next to Jess in her dorm common room the next day.

"Dean and... Gloria?"

She nodded again.

Jess blinked. "We both understand the fact that Gloria is the female, Italian version of Mike Tyson, yes?"

"I just think that maybe it would be nice."

"She's my cousin," Jess replied. "Dean's not gonna go for it."

"Gloria isn't you. She's much louder, and nicer."

"When she's not punching people's lights out." Jess shook his head. "And... Dean's married."

"But they're having problems."

"So your solution is for them to see other people."

"His idea."

"Huh."

"He wanted said 'other people' to be me."

"Huh."

"I said no."

He nodded.

"Should I have said yes?"

"Did you want to?"

"Nope."

"Then it's good that you said no."

"Did you want me to say no?"

"Nope. I wanted you to go out with Dean," Jess replied sarcastically.

She smirked and rested her head against the couch, looking at him. "Love you."

He reached over and kissed her softly. "Love you, too."

"I don't wanna date Dean."

"I don't want you to date Dean, either." He kissed her again, longer this time and she pulled him on top of her, deepening the kiss.

The door swung open and Paris groaned. "Do you mind?"

They sat up, Rory blushing.

"Hi, Paris..."

"Hello, Rory... Jess."

He nodded. "Paris."

"Care to get a room?" Paris asked. "Some of us are trying to hold down our lunch."

"I think that every time you talk about Asher," Jess quipped. "At least I don't have wrinkles."

"Asher is in very good health," Paris argued.

Jess muttered something under his breath and Rory poked him in the stomach.

"Be nice."

"Not in his genetic code," Paris snapped.

"We're trying to set Dean up with Gloria," Rory said suddenly, changing the subject.

Paris gave them an odd look. "He's married."

"Yeah, but they're having problems," Rory replied. "And he wants to see other people."

"And by other people he meant you," Jess cut in.

**Alternate Jess's Homecoming for Chapter 35 **

"I'm so sorry," he told her.

She nodded, watching him from her bed. He'd missed her birthday party completely.

"My flight was delayed for hours," Jess told her. "I read Slaughter House Five four times through waiting for that god-damned plane. By the time I landed I was on my third run of Franny and Zoey. I can quote anything from those two books."

Rory smiled. "You already could." She'd missed talking to him so much. Not that she never talked to him, but it was different to hear him in person.

"By the time I got back to New Haven it was a quarter to midnight. And now it's..." he looked at his watch. "One thirty in the morning."

She watched him stand there in front of her, and noticed that he was shaking slightly. "Jess...?"

He looked at her.

She got up and rubbed his bare arms gently. "You're frozen solid."

"I forgot my jacket at my apartment," he told her sheepishly.

She nodded. "Come on, I'll make you coffee."

He didn't reply. He put a hand in her hair gently. "You grew your hair out."

She smiled and shrugged.

They stood silent for a long moment, before Jess leaned in and kissed her hungrily.

When they pulled apart for air, they she pressed her forehead to his, eyes still closed.

"God," she whispered. "I missed you."

He nodded and began kissing her again.


End file.
